Child marriage is defined as any formal marriage or informal union where one or both parties are under 18 years of age. An estimated 15 million girls globally marry each year before age 18. Religious, cultural, and financial reasons are cited to explain the practice of child marriage. Consequences for child brides can include physical and mental health risks, as well as lack of educational and economic opportunities. Initiatives to prevent child marriage focus on empowering girls through education, community engagement, and advocacy campaigns.

2. Child Marriage
Girls not Brides
Präsentationsprüfung • Global Studies • Vanessa Kraft • WG 13/2 • 13.07.17

4. Definition of Child Marriage
Religious, cultural and financial Reasons
Consequences for the bride
Initiatives to prevent Child Marriage
structure
1.
2.
3.
4.
3

5. 1. DEFINITION
4
15 Million
Girls

6. 5
a global problem
Data: Unicef, 2014
1.
Niger
Bangladesh
Chad
%
%
41%
29%
18%
15%
11%
18%

7. 6
Religious reasons
Powerful influence
over communities
REASONS
2.
14 years
16 years
9 years
12 years

8. 7
Cultural reasons
Happened for generations
Staying away from tradition
could mean exclusion of
the community
2.

9. 8
Financial reasons
Giving daughter in
marriage allows the
family to reduce on
their daughter
expenses
20.000 $
2.

10. 2.
9
Poorest 20%
Richest 20%
girls married under 18 divided into family wealth

11. 10
CONSEQUENCES
3.
Physical health damage

12. 11
3.
88% higher risk of
developing fistula

13. 12
3.
Child marriage = legalized rape and violence?

14. 13
Girl born
in poverty
Married away as
Child Bride
Forced to
work hard at
in-laws home
Drops
out of
school
No education
leads to no job
or low income
Husband
demands
childbearing
Poverty
circle
3.

15. 14
4. INITIATIVES
Helping hands

16. 15
o Group meetings of unmarried
adolescent girls
o Mobilize adults to support girls
Ethiopia
o Providing school material
o holding community conversations
4. Working directly with the girls

17. 16
4. Supporting girls through media influence
#endchildmarriage

18. THANKS!
17