Skip to main content

Child marriage: jeopardising Africa’s future

Child marriage is still a reality for millions of girls across Africa. The African continent is home to 15 out of the 20 countries with the world’s highest rates of child marriage. Worldwide, approximately 15 million girls every year are married before they reach the age of 18. That is the equivalent of the entire population of Zimbabwe or Mali.



Child marriage jeopardises efforts to improve maternal and infant health and has devastating consequences for the girl, her family, and her future children. Child brides face higher risk of death and injury in pregnancy and childbirth, with girls under 15 being five times more likely to die in childbirth than women in their 20s. Their children are at risk too: when a mother is under 20 her baby is less likely live beyond its first birthday.



“I was only 15 when I had my first child and was nearly forced into getting married. I stood my ground and said no, and I went back to school” said Isatou Jeng, Project Officer at The Girls' Agenda, a Girls Not Brides member based in The Gambia. “I was able to take control of my own fate, and now I work to create an Africa where all girls can do the same”.     Child marriage: jeopardising Africa’s future

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Mutharika declares ten districts 'disaster areas' as 23,000 Malawians are displaced by floods

The entire southern Lower Shire Valley bordering Mozambique has also been declared a 'disaster area'. Vice President Saulos Chilima, government officials and journalists Tuesday aborted a planned tour to inspect the effects of the damage in the valley because the military helicopter could not fly due to bad weather. Mutharika appealed to the international community and NGOs to assist the flood victims. He said at least 23, 000 people have been made homeless following the flooding. He said the displaced people immediately need temporary shelter, food, medicine and clothing. "Government alone cannot afford so I appeal to the international community for urgent assistance," he said. Over 20 people across the country have died following the flooding.-maravipost Mutharika declares ten districts 'disaster areas' as 23,000 Malawians are displaced by floods : Mutharika declares ten districts 'disaster areas' as 23,000 Malawians are displaced by floods

Malawi coup plotter suspect Goodall Gondwe resigns as economic planning minister

Malawi coup plotter suspect Goodall Gondwe resigns as economic planning minister Dr Goodall Gondwe, who is still recuperating from high blood pressure he suffered Monday after being arrested for allegedly trying to block President Banda’s ascendency to the Office of President last April has finally resigned as economic planning and development effective Frida

Kenya - Civil War Brews in Kenya

Kenya - Civ . il War Brews in Kenya Faced with a combination of body blows ranging from spiking prices for maize, import dependent Kenya’s staple food, IMF mandated food subsidy cuts, a foolhardy USA instigated invasion of Somalia, election triggered ethnic warfare and a simmering independence movement by the Muslims in the Mombasa coastal region Kenya is in trouble, serious trouble. Hunger speculators lead by financial terrorists such as Goldman Sachs are using the drought in the USA, the worlds largest producer of maize/corn to drive prices to what are predicted to be record levels, more than doubling by early 2013 forcing Kenya’s imported maize dependent population’s malnutrition rate into meltdown status.