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| Ending child marriage: turning Commonwealth promises into action | Ending child marriage: turning Commonwealth promises into action |
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| On a recent trip to Jaldhaka, rural Bangladesh I met a young woman called Dilruba, aged 22, who made plain the unbearable pressure placed on girls around the world to marry young. Dilruba dreamed of finishing education and finding a good job, but all this was threatened when her parents tried to marry her off before the age of 18. | On a recent trip to Jaldhaka, rural Bangladesh I met a young woman called Dilruba, aged 22, who made plain the unbearable pressure placed on girls around the world to marry young. Dilruba dreamed of finishing education and finding a good job, but all this was threatened when her parents tried to marry her off before the age of 18. |
| Child marriage is a devastating human rights violation that has robbed, and continues to rob, millions of girls of their childhood. It forces them out of education and into a life of poor prospects, with increased risk of violence, abuse, ill health or an early death in childbirth. | Child marriage is a devastating human rights violation that has robbed, and continues to rob, millions of girls of their childhood. It forces them out of education and into a life of poor prospects, with increased risk of violence, abuse, ill health or an early death in childbirth. |
| While boys are also married as children, child marriage affects girls in greater numbers and the consequences can be devastating for their health and well-being. | While boys are also married as children, child marriage affects girls in greater numbers and the consequences can be devastating for their health and well-being. |
| One girl in three in the developing world will be married by her eighteenth birthday according to a UNFPA report. The study also revealed that if nothing is done to stop current trends, more than 140 million girls will become child brides by 2020. | One girl in three in the developing world will be married by her eighteenth birthday according to a UNFPA report. The study also revealed that if nothing is done to stop current trends, more than 140 million girls will become child brides by 2020. |
| Now is the time to work together to end child marriage. NGOs, community groups and human rights activists are already succeeding on the ground. In Bangladesh, Plan and its local partners – which include the Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers' Association and the International Center for Research on Women – are joining forces with girls affected by child marriages. Groups are also working with community leaders, men and boys, supporting them to work together towards a child marriage free future. | Now is the time to work together to end child marriage. NGOs, community groups and human rights activists are already succeeding on the ground. In Bangladesh, Plan and its local partners – which include the Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers' Association and the International Center for Research on Women – are joining forces with girls affected by child marriages. Groups are also working with community leaders, men and boys, supporting them to work together towards a child marriage free future. |
| Our activism focuses on awareness building and supporting community leaders to change social norms around the issue of child marriage. Child Protection Groups have been formed and young people are working together to prevent child marriages taking place, by negotiating with community leaders and parents in a group. Being a member of the group makes young women aware of the consequences of becoming a child bride. They alsolearned about legislation on the legal age of marriage, which protects them when they say 'no'. | Our activism focuses on awareness building and supporting community leaders to change social norms around the issue of child marriage. Child Protection Groups have been formed and young people are working together to prevent child marriages taking place, by negotiating with community leaders and parents in a group. Being a member of the group makes young women aware of the consequences of becoming a child bride. They alsolearned about legislation on the legal age of marriage, which protects them when they say 'no'. |
| Using what's she has learned in the Child Protection Group, Dilruba managed to stop her marriage but she was also able to continue her studies and follow her dreams to find a good job as a teacher. | |
| These successes at community level are also supported by work at the national level to create or amend legislation regarding the minimum age of marriage and to ensure the implementation of laws where they exist. For instance, in Pakistan child rights organisations are seeking to take forward amendments to the current Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 including raising the minimum age of marriage for girls from 16 to 18. | These successes at community level are also supported by work at the national level to create or amend legislation regarding the minimum age of marriage and to ensure the implementation of laws where they exist. For instance, in Pakistan child rights organisations are seeking to take forward amendments to the current Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 including raising the minimum age of marriage for girls from 16 to 18. |
| In January an amendment on the child marriage restraint act was championed by MPA (Member of the Provincial Assembly) Munawar Sultana from Pakistan's Awami National Party. However Ms Sultana's proposals were rejected by lawmakers. | In January an amendment on the child marriage restraint act was championed by MPA (Member of the Provincial Assembly) Munawar Sultana from Pakistan's Awami National Party. However Ms Sultana's proposals were rejected by lawmakers. |
| The issue of child marriage is now firmly on the international agenda. The Commonwealth, the voluntary association of states, has committed to working towards ending the practice and The High Level Panel on the Post-MDG framework has recommended that ending child marriage by 2030 should be a specific development goal for the Commonwealth and the rest of the global community. | The issue of child marriage is now firmly on the international agenda. The Commonwealth, the voluntary association of states, has committed to working towards ending the practice and The High Level Panel on the Post-MDG framework has recommended that ending child marriage by 2030 should be a specific development goal for the Commonwealth and the rest of the global community. |
| Through the Commonwealth, we have a unique opportunity to share knowledge and understanding of the causes of child marriage, and more importantly what works to end it. We must take the commitment made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011 (pdf), and turn it into action now. A Commonwealth plan of action to end child marriage must be developed. | Through the Commonwealth, we have a unique opportunity to share knowledge and understanding of the causes of child marriage, and more importantly what works to end it. We must take the commitment made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011 (pdf), and turn it into action now. A Commonwealth plan of action to end child marriage must be developed. |
| The 54-member states can also drive this agenda forward at the United Nations, by ensuring the secretary general maintains ending child marriage as a central plank to future development goals and supporting a UN resolution to end child marriage by 2015. | The 54-member states can also drive this agenda forward at the United Nations, by ensuring the secretary general maintains ending child marriage as a central plank to future development goals and supporting a UN resolution to end child marriage by 2015. |
| This is a prime opportunity for the Commonwealth to show leadership on the global stage. Here it has the chance to demonstrate the ability of the international community to come together to defend the rights of young women, and to ensurethey have the chance to lead development and prosperity in the next generation. | This is a prime opportunity for the Commonwealth to show leadership on the global stage. Here it has the chance to demonstrate the ability of the international community to come together to defend the rights of young women, and to ensurethey have the chance to lead development and prosperity in the next generation. |
| The wider Commonwealth community can be the agents of change for children around the world – within and beyond our country borders. And we must , so that stories like Dilruba's become the norm and not the exception. | The wider Commonwealth community can be the agents of change for children around the world – within and beyond our country borders. And we must , so that stories like Dilruba's become the norm and not the exception. |
| Nazma Kabir is director of programmes at global children's charity Plan UK. Plan UK was one of five organisations meeting today in London for a roundtable discussion on ending child marriage, co-hosted by the Royal Commonwealth Society. | Nazma Kabir is director of programmes at global children's charity Plan UK. Plan UK was one of five organisations meeting today in London for a roundtable discussion on ending child marriage, co-hosted by the Royal Commonwealth Society. |
| This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more articles like this direct to your inbox, sign up free to become a member of the Global Development Professionals Network. | This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more articles like this direct to your inbox, sign up free to become a member of the Global Development Professionals Network. |