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Voices
JULY 2024
Dear friend,
In our last Voices Edition, Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell, Girls Not Brides CEO, said: "Solving big problems like child marriage is only possible through a movement of leaders collaborating to create change." Lucky for us, Girls Not Brides is a global movement full of leaders.
Our new video series, #MovementMakers, spotlights inspiring leaders at the forefront of the movement to end child marriage. These visionary individuals are not just advocates; they are changemakers, driving powerful social movements transforming communities and shaping a future where every girl can choose her own path. In this series, they share their stories, from their childhoods to where they are now, discussing their powerful work and what inspired them to become #MovementMakers.
Be inspired
Watch the story of Beatrice from Malawi:
Watch the story of Dr Om from India:
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📰IN THE NEWS
📰The Gambia upholds ban on FGM/C
A bill that sought to repeal the 2015 ban on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in The Gambia has been rejected by the National Assembly."If passed, it would have been the first time a ban on FGM/C had been reversed. The vote represents a huge win for girls' and women's rights in The Gambia.
📢ADVOCACY EFFORTS
📢10 years after the Montevideo Consensus, how will we advance the agenda to address child, early and forced marriages and unions in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Girls Not Brides' participation in the 5th Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (RCPD) as well as in the Social Forum preceding the Conference has been a key effort in making visible and addressing child, early and forced marriages and unions (CEFMU) in the region.
📢 Human Rights Council adopted by consensus a landmark resolution to establish an intergovernmental working group to consider and draft an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Girls Not Brides calls on all states that have prioritised ending child marriage and have co-sponsored UN resolutions on child, early, and forced marriage to join the intergovernmental working group and support the development of a strong Optional Protocol.
📢Prioritising Girls' Education: Key Insights from the First Pan-African Conference in Ethiopia
Discover the key takeaways and recommendations from the First Pan-African Conference on Girls' and Women's Education in Addis Ababa. Learn why prioritising education is crucial for ending child marriage and promoting gender equality in Africa.
📘Advocacy Resources: 'How to Child Rights' Platform
Developed by civil society for civil society, the series offers condensed and essential knowledge for civil society practitioners who wish to strengthen programming and advocacy for and with children, and stay up to date with new developments in children’s rights.
📖 LEARNING AND EVIDENCE
📝Knowledge is power: Youth-led research to address power dynamics in knowledge and advocacy processes to end child marriage and promote girls' education in West Africa
This insightful report highlights the critical role of education in preventing child marriage. Key findings reveal the significant barriers girls face, including financial challenges, cultural norms, and gender-based violence. It includes case studies and recommendations to address social norms, economic factors, the quality of the learning environment, security crises and displacement, and to strengthen youth-led research
📌 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Towards a Co-created Civil Society Strategy to End Child Marriage in Tanzania
In Tanzania, 31% of girls are married before their 18th birthday and 5% are married before the age of 15. 4% of boys in Tanzania are married before the age of 18.
On 6-9 May, TECMN hosted a co-creation workshop with 45 civil society member participants to develop their multi-year programme.
📅 COMING SOON
REGIONAL CONVENING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SADC MODEL LAW ON ERADICATING CHILD MARRIAGE AND PROTECTING CHILDREN ALREADY IN MARRIAGE
The convening will serve as a critical platform for dialogue and action, bringing together government representatives, parliamentarians, civil society organizations, international partners, and donors. It seeks to assess the progress made by SADC governments and member states in fulfilling their commitments towards the implementation and domestication of the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage at international, regional, and national levels.
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