Girls Not Brides UK urges government action on child marriage
FORWARD as Co-Chair of the Girls Not Brides UK Network have co-authored with other members of the network this paper of recommendations for the UK government on ending Child Marriage.
Today is the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child 2013, and this paper outlines the need to end the harmful human rights violation that is child marriage. Child marriage was the theme for the inaugural International Day of the Girl, which took place in 2012. A year on we believe it is vital to again draw attention to the plight of girls affected by child marriage, who are often taken out of school as a result of marriage or pregnancy and do not return to education.
The paper makes a series of recommendations for UK government action on child marriage, including:
- Continue to demonstrate global leadership on ending child marriage
- Support quality education for all girls and boys as key to the fight against child marriage
- Support the creation of an enabling environment for ending child marriage
- Promote an integrated, multi sectoral approach to ending child marriage
- Establish a funding stream for early marriage
- Use all international opportunities to promote action on child marriage
The paper was co-authored by members of Girls Not Brides UK, members of which include: Plan UK (Co chair), FORWARD (Co Chair), ACCM UK, Anti-Slavery International, CAME Women and Girls Development Organisation, ChildHope UK, EENET CIC, Equality Now, Former Child Wives Foundation UK, IKWRO, Independent Yemen Group, IPPF, Make Every Woman Count, ODI, PANOS, Population Matters, SafeHands for Mothers, The International HIV/AIDS Alliance, World Vision.
