Ending Child Marriage

Zonta is working to raise the awareness of the Devastating Consequences of Early Marriage for Girls around the world:

• Early End to Education
• Lower Wages, Poverty
• Increased Risk of Domestic Violence
• Higher Divorce Rates
• Higher risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases
• Early, frequent and higher risk pregnancies

Our goal is to pass legislation in every US state which bans marriage for girls under 18 years old. See the Facts on Child Marriage in the US.

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Stop Child Marriages	Unchained at Last	Girls Not Brides	Zonta International

ZONTA International Projects

Globally, 21% of girls are married before they turn 18, robbing them of their childhood.

Each year, another 12 million girls under the age of 18 are married around the world. Child marriage is globally recognized as a harmful practice and a human rights violation. However, despite laws against it, the practice remains widespread and can be found in cultures, religions, ethnicities and countries around the world. Ending child marriage requires addressing, over a period of time, the complex sociocultural and structural factors underpinning the practice.

As a result, the Global Programme to End Child Marriage was designed to address the issue over a 15-year period from 2015 through 2030. During this time, the priority remains on engaging adolescent girls as key agents of change in the following 12 countries with high prevalence of child marriage: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia.

2020-2022 Zonta International Project Description

See the Zonta Club of Yakima sponsored billboards around town during the month of October! Did you know that Child Marriage is happening in the US?