The terrifying world of child brides...

[WhiskeyGirl]

"The terrifying world of child brides: Devastating images show girls young enough to be in pre-school who are married off to older men"

At age 11, Ghulam was married off to 40-year-old Jaiz in a rural Afghan village, making her only one of more than 10 million young girls who are being forced to wed men old enough to be their fathers or grandfather every year.

In an effort to start a global conversation about the devastating effects of early marriages, which are currently practiced in more than 50 developing countries, the United Nations designated October 11 as International Day of the Girl Child this year.

To mark the occasion and draw attention to the problem of child brides, photojournalist Stephanie Sinclair teamed up with National Geographic to create  a series of heart-breaking photos depicting girls as young as five years old being married off to middle-aged men in countries like India, Yemen and Ethiopia.

Read more, see pictures and watch video here : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2216553/International-Day-Girl-Child-2012-Devastating-images-terrifying-world-child-brides.html#ixzz296i3XuVo

[WhiskeyGirl]

"UN warns of possible rise in child brides"

“Child marriage is an appalling violation of human rights and robs girls of their education, health and long-term prospects,” said UNFPA executive director Babatunde Osotimehin.

“Marriage for girls can lead to complications of pregnancy and childbirth, the main causes of death among 15-19-year-old girls in developing countries.”

Salamatou Aghali Issoufa, a young Nigerian activist who succeeded in convincing her parents not to marry her off to a 50-year-old man at the age of 14, appealed for girls to be given a chance and granted access to education.

After completing her studies, she now works as a midwife in her village.

“I had a lot of luck, in contrast to my cousin who was married when she was 16 and who already has three children,” she said.

read more here - http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/un-warns-of-possible-rise-in-child-brides-1.1401761#.UHhWsa7AETA

I read the comments in the first post of this thread and it was very sad.

In the US as in other 'developed' nations it is not uncommon for girls 12 or younger to become sexually active.  Schools hand out free birth control and I read that recently they've begun teaching 6 year olds about sex.

What's wrong with these people?

If education and avoiding early pregnancy is the key to getting out of poverty, why would you encourage young people to engage in sex without marriage?

Is it the marriage or the sex and pregnancy?

jmho

[flutter1]

"UN warns of possible rise in child brides"

“Child marriage is an appalling violation of human rights and robs girls of their education, health and long-term prospects,” said UNFPA executive director Babatunde Osotimehin.

“Marriage for girls can lead to complications of pregnancy and childbirth, the main causes of death among 15-19-year-old girls in developing countries.”

Salamatou Aghali Issoufa, a young Nigerian activist who succeeded in convincing her parents not to marry her off to a 50-year-old man at the age of 14, appealed for girls to be given a chance and granted access to education.

After completing her studies, she now works as a midwife in her village.

“I had a lot of luck, in contrast to my cousin who was married when she was 16 and who already has three children,” she said.

read more here - http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/un-warns-of-possible-rise-in-child-brides-1.1401761#.UHhWsa7AETA

I read the comments in the first post of this thread and it was very sad.

In the US as in other 'developed' nations it is not uncommon for girls 12 or younger to become sexually active.  Schools hand out free birth control and I read that recently they've begun teaching 6 year olds about sex.

What's wrong with these people?

If education and avoiding early pregnancy is the key to getting out of poverty, why would you encourage young people to engage in sex without marriage?

Is it the marriage or the sex and pregnancy?

jmho

We no longer live in a society where parents are expected to provide their children about morals and responsibility.  Therefore, it has been pushed onto the schools to teach such things.  As a teacher and a parent, I would rather not be put in the position of educating someone else's children in those areas.