Child marriage is a formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child. Child Marriage affects both genders but is mostly affecting young girls. About 37,000 girls are being married, according to the UN. This happens mostly in poor and under-developed countries. Niger has the highest rate of child marriage in the world with 75 percent of girls under 18 being married and 36 percent of them are younger than 15 years old. Even though child marriage is banned from a lot of countries, it is still happening. The number of child marriages around the world had only climbed from the effects of COVID.

This violates the human rights of children. In most cases, it prevents children from getting the education they need and want. Their childhood is stripped away from them, having to stay at home and take over household duties. Some of these children are given health complications from early labor, their bodies being too young to handle the stress of pregnancy. 

Child marriage happens because of many reasons like religion, poverty, and dowry. Many families suffer from poverty, having to marry off their children to survive from starvation. Another reason is because of dowry, a payment in the form of money, property, or even jewelry by either the bride or groom's family. They exchange their children for the price of the dowry.

In order to support the end of children, please sign this petition and spread awareness of child marriage.