Stand Against Child Marriage

Stand Against Child Marriage

The Issue

Today, 25,000 girls as young as 8 years old will become child brides. 

Tens of millions of women and girls around the world have lost their dignity, independence and lives due to child marriage.  

When young girls are forced into marriage, they are more likely to suffer from abuse, disease and abandonment. UNICEF estimates that 60 million girls in developing countries now aged 20-24 were married before the age of 18. If current trends continue, this number will increase by 100 million over the next decade.  

If we make a stand, we can bring an end to the practice of child marriage by increasing access to education and life skills training for girls; supporting youth groups that raise awareness about children’s rights; and working with local partners to change social norms and promote community understanding about the harmful impacts of early marriage.  

Take a stand now on behalf of the 25,000 girls who will marry too early today -- and show the world that each and every one of these girls deserves the right to her childhood. 

avatar of the starter
Plan USAPetition StarterAt <a href="http://Change.org" rel="nofollow">Change.org</a> I am Senior Director of Client Services. Before joining the team at <a href="http://Change.org" rel="nofollow">Change.org</a>, I worked as Senior Campaigner at Care2 and for two years I worked as Senior Consultant at M+R Strategic Services. My foray into online organizing began in 2004, when I co-founded Equality Ohio, an LGBT rights organization and a member organization of the national Equality Federation. In my spare time I tend a small flock of chickens in my Oakland backyard.
This petition had 8,584 supporters

The Issue

Today, 25,000 girls as young as 8 years old will become child brides. 

Tens of millions of women and girls around the world have lost their dignity, independence and lives due to child marriage.  

When young girls are forced into marriage, they are more likely to suffer from abuse, disease and abandonment. UNICEF estimates that 60 million girls in developing countries now aged 20-24 were married before the age of 18. If current trends continue, this number will increase by 100 million over the next decade.  

If we make a stand, we can bring an end to the practice of child marriage by increasing access to education and life skills training for girls; supporting youth groups that raise awareness about children’s rights; and working with local partners to change social norms and promote community understanding about the harmful impacts of early marriage.  

Take a stand now on behalf of the 25,000 girls who will marry too early today -- and show the world that each and every one of these girls deserves the right to her childhood. 

avatar of the starter
Plan USAPetition StarterAt <a href="http://Change.org" rel="nofollow">Change.org</a> I am Senior Director of Client Services. Before joining the team at <a href="http://Change.org" rel="nofollow">Change.org</a>, I worked as Senior Campaigner at Care2 and for two years I worked as Senior Consultant at M+R Strategic Services. My foray into online organizing began in 2004, when I co-founded Equality Ohio, an LGBT rights organization and a member organization of the national Equality Federation. In my spare time I tend a small flock of chickens in my Oakland backyard.

The Decision Makers

I'm standing against child marraige
I'm standing against child marraige
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Petition created on March 31, 2011