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May 2023
Dear friend,
UNICEF, with the support of the Global Programme to end Child Marriage (GPECM), produced and painted a graffiti on the walls of a secondary school in Monapo district (Nampula province) to sensitize the community on the negative impact of child marriage and on the appropriate reporting channel to follow (Child Helpline 116).
© UNICEF/UN0765141/Pedro
Globally, child marriage prevalence continues to decline. This is the good news revealed in new data from UNICEF this month. About 68 million cases of child marriage have been avoided in the last 25 years, with a fall in prevalence from 23% to 19%. Today, 1 in 5 women aged 20-24 were married before age 18, down from 1 in 4 a decade ago. In fact, each region in the world has a positive example we can learn from.
Despite this, according to the data, progress needs to happen 20 times faster to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending child marriage by 2030. The data indicates a “polycrisis” of conflict, climate change and COVID-19, which have each led to an increase in the practice in certain areas. Progress has actually slowed in West Africa– with the sub region being over 200 years from ending child marriage – and 1 in 4 young women still married before their 18th birthday in South Asia.
Read our latest blog [[link removed]] for our interpretation of the data and to hear what we can all do in response.
You can also access the UNICEF press release [[link removed]] and report [[link removed]] for the in-depth view.
Whichever way you view the UNICEF data, more than ever, a united response is essential to maintain the gains we have seen over the last 10 years, and to tackle the crises which continue to drive the practice. At Girls Not Brides we believe in the power of collective action – a vibrant partnership, working together to catalyse connection, action, and impact.
Need some inspiration? Watch the story [[link removed]] of Whitney from the Girls Opportunity Alliance [[link removed]], who was able to continue her education instead of getting married thanks to her mother’s support and a scholarship from Girls Not Brides member Akili Dada [[link removed]].
As always, we’d love to hear from you. Do you have a story of collective action to share with us?
And make sure you join the conversation on our social media channels.
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In solidarity,
Girls Not Brides
ROUND-UPGirls Not Brides Impact Report 2022
Our 2022 Impact Report is here!
Learn more about our joint impact in 2022. The short summary and full report include highlights from our collective action to build a world without child marriage, where all girls can reach their full potential. Organised around the themes of movement-building, influencing and learning, this report includes key evidence, examples and quotes from across the global Partnership.
Access the full report and short summary [[link removed]] (available in English, French and Spanish) to find out more.
You can also see our joint successes by region on our Instagram [[link removed]].
Our impact in Asia [[link removed]] Our impact in Africa [[link removed]] Our impact in Latin America [[link removed]] Comprehensive sexuality education is the key to a better tomorrow
Evidence shows that comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a safe and effective way to advance gender equality and ensure young people can make informed decisions about their bodies. Through CSE, adolescents and young people learn about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality, setting them up to better understand and negotiate sexual encounters. As a result, CSE helps reduce unintended pregnancy, HIV, and gender-based violence.
Girls Not Brides joined 52 signatories calling for investment in CSE. The Opinion Piece was published in Al Jazeera and authored by Alexander de Croo (Prime Minister, Belgium), Lindiwe Zulu (Minister of Social Development, South Africa), and Memory Zonde-Kachambwa (Executive Director, FEMNET and Chair of SheDecides Guiding Group) in April – and shows our commitment to advancing gender equality through multiple and diverse channels.
Read the full article [[link removed]] on Al Jazeera, republished on our blog [[link removed]].
The Renewal of the International Criminal Court Office of the Prosecutor’s Policy Paper on Children
The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor is renewing its Policy on Children, with a view of developing new and innovative approaches to make children more visible in all of its work. This presents a pivotal opportunity to strengthen and promote recognition and accountability for international grave crimes affecting all children. MADRE has compiled feedback from grassroots feminist organizations from around the world and a summary is available in a sign-on letter here [[link removed]]. The deadline to sign the open letter is Friday, May 26, 2023. For other ways in which you can make your voice heard, read MADRE’s resource guide for advocates [[link removed]].
The digital divide and child marriage: what’s the connection? Reflections from The National Women’s Conference on Inclusion, Nigeria
The digital divide is undermining women and girls’ access to education and employment - but also has the potential to lift women and girls from poverty. Find out more from “The National Women’s Conference on Inclusion: Technology and Digital Education for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment” on how this is being tackled in Nigeria [[link removed]].
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
“Let's talk about the importance of safe spaces for girls to advocate for themselves and have equal opportunities and rights in the future”
Ajay Kumar of the Jharkhand Colaition in Pratigya, India, understands the power of collective platforms where girls can take centre stage.
Watch Ajay share his views that child marriage is everyone’s problem.
@pratigya_trust [[link removed]]
NEED SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Skoll Forum
Watch this session [[link removed]] from the Skoll World Forum to hear from some leading change-makers on how they build connection and networks for change.
Catalyzing Connection Exploring the Power of Systems Orchestrators | #SkollWF 2023 [[link removed]]
Girls Not Brides ranks 6th in the Fair Share Monitor [[link removed]] 2023!
The Fair Share Monitor [[link removed]] ranks organisations according to the gap between women on staff and women in leadership as a measure of our sector’s progress towards gender equity.
CHILD MARRIAGE IN THE NEWSBecome ambassador against child marriage, group tells students
Encouraging girls to become ambassadors campaigning against child marriage was the essence of the third phase of community outreach organised by the Bella Foundation and her partners, EVOCA Foundation and Nommontu Foundation, in the Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State of Nigeria. Girls Not Brides partners and members were there!
Read the article [[link removed]] on Vanguard, Nigeria
DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES
Gender-transformative promising practice in Latin America and the Caribbean – Thursday, 25 May 2023, 9am Mexico City / 11am Santo Domingo / 4pm London / 6pm Nairobi. The webinar will be in Spanish with simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Portuguese. Register here [[link removed]]
Menstrual Hygiene Day – Sunday 28 May – Today, millions of women and girls around the world are stigmatised, excluded and discriminated against simply because they menstruate. It’s not acceptable that because of a natural bodily function women and girls continue to be prevented from getting an education, earning an income and fully and equally participating in everyday life. Keep an eye out on Friday 26 May for our joint webinar with The Global Partnership for Education [[link removed]] and others.
Keep an eye on our social media channels over the next 2 months as we’ll be talking more and more about gender equality and gender transformative approaches in the run up to Women Deliver in early July. We’d love to hear from you!
OPPORTUNITIES Consultancy Team - Research Workshop Convenor and Rapporteur: African Action Group to End Child Marriage
We are seeking an experienced team of consultants to facilitate a three-day in-person workshop for researchers and practitioners on 2-4 July in Nairobi, Kenya.
Deadline: Wednesday 17 May at 23:59 EAT. Apply here [[link removed]]
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