Currently, there are more than 700 million young girls around the world were forced into marriages by their fathers and are expected to bear children soon after. If the trend continues, at least 280 million young girls who are walking the face of the earth today could become child brides before they even turn 18. Thus, U.N. and UNICEF organized a program called Population Fund in a bid to end the child marriages by 2030.
Greeta Rao Gupta, deputy executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund said the program aims to put an end to child marriages. It is currently targeting young girls aged 10-19 who are at risk of being married off or who are already married in 12 countries, including Nepal, Bangladesh, Yemen and Ethiopia. She said the countries were chosen based on several criteria, including the rate of child marriages.
UN aims to eliminate child marriage by 2030 https://t.co/gOMwwxPTUD pic.twitter.com/hnSKNsNBfA
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) Marso 16, 2016
"Just think where those women and girls would be today if they were allowed to have a childhood," Gupta said to Global News. Agency officials and Gupta are working together to save young girls from child marriages, so they can have a better future. Likewise, the program aims to put into place laws and policies that can protect the women's rights.
Another person who is also vowing to lead a campaign to put an end to child marriages is "Divergent" actress, Ashely Judd. The actress told USA TODAY the global problem is a "violation of every human right" and she wants it to stop. "It is unacceptable," she said. "Child marriage in a gruesome way amplifies global gender inequalities."
The 47-year-old actress, who has been a global advocate for women's rights and AIDS said she is hoping to work with U.N. She is now looking forward to visiting all the program that aims to stop child marriages.
