Zonta Clubs Around the World Say No to Violence Against Women Campaign

Day Eleven: Child and Forced Marriage

Child marriage is any formal or informal union where one or both of the parties are under 18 years old, according to Girls Not Brides. Early and forced marriage happens across countries, cultures, and religions. Each year, 12 million girls are married before they turn 18.

It is estimated that 650 million women alive today were married as girls. Child brides are often pulled out of school and are at a greater risk of violence, being trapped in poverty and serious health complications or even death due to early pregnancy.

  • Globally, one in five girls were married before the age of 18.
  • About 250 million women were married before age 15.
  • Girls with no education are three times as likely to marry by 18 as those with a secondary or higher education.
  • 90% of adolescent pregnancies in the developing world are to girls who are already married.
  • Girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are twice as likely to die in childbirth as women in their 20s, and newborn children of younger mothers face greater risks of dying.
  • Early marriage doubles a teenager’s chances of living in poverty and triples the likelihood she will be beaten by her spouse, compared to married adults.

Source: zonta.org

Every year during the 16 days from November 25 through December 10, Zonta Clubs around the world participate in the Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women campaign.

The graphics shared during this year’s campaign contain information about domestic violence, depicting some of the signs, as well as the myths surrounding it, and the far-reaching impacts it has on those who suffer from it and/or witness domestic violence.

Clinton County Daily News.com will run this campaign through December 10.

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