Forced Marriage Survivor Launches Campaign To End Child Marriage
A courageous activist is launching a new campaign to end the forced marriage of girls in the world’s poorest countries.
Jasvinder Sanghera, who faced death threats after setting up the first national helpline for UK victims, is now helping highlight the plight of the world’s poorest child brides.
The activist, whose tireless work led to the development of the UK’s Forced Marriage Act, is joining forces with the global children’s charity Plan UK.
The award-winning founder of Karma Nirvana is an ambassador of Because I am a Girl, the charity’s campaign, for the rights and education of girls in poorer parts of the world.
Ms Sanghera, who was disowned by her family at 16 for refusing to wed a man she had never met, is championing Take the Vow, Plan UK’s petition and call for action to end child marriage.
The charity has identified forced, early marriage as one of the biggest barriers to education for girls in the poorest parts of the world.
Its Take the Vow petition, launched this week, is pressing for an end to the practice of underage girls being forced to marry in these regions.
Plan UK’s call for action comes as a new report reveals that one in seven under-15-year-old girls will become child brides in the world’s poorest countries.
The report, entitled ‘Breaking Vows, says girls forced to marry in their early teens in these regions, face a high risk of dying in child birth and are highly likely to drop out of school early.
"Child marriage is embedded in many cultures and traditions", says Plan UK’s chief executive in the UK, Marie Staunton. "Across the developing it often spells the end of a girl’s education.
"Why is the international community so silent when so many girls are forced to marry when they are still children?"
Ms Sanghera was inspired to back Plan UK’s efforts following a trip to Egypt to meet religious leaders and teenagers campaigning to end the practice of underage girl being forced to marry.
The campaigner is set to discuss Plan UK’s call for action at a House of Commons event next Wednesday (July 6) bringing together civil society and policy experts.
Watch the following video to hear about her experience from Jasvinder herself and other girls forced into marriage at a young age: