PSA: 82 million girls in developing countries between the ages of 10 and 17 will be married before their 18th birthday. You can help change this.
- She is more likely to drop out of school. Staying in school is one of the most important factors in reducing child marriage - girls with secondary schooling are up to six times less likely to be married than those who have little or no schooling.
- She faces a higher risk for health problems and even death. One quarter to one half of girls in developing countries become mothers before the age of 18. In fact, medical complications from pregnancy are the leading cause of death among girls ages 15-19 worldwide.
- She is more vulnerable to violence. Girls who are married at a young age are at a higher risk of sexual and domestic violence from their husbands than women who marry later, and are more likely to believe that a husband is justified in inflicting violence.
That is why Girl Up supports United Nations programs that provide girls with the opportunity to become educated, healthy, safe, counted and positioned to be the next generation of leaders.
Join the Girl Up movement at girlup.org and help us end child marriage in a generation!
