Dear friend,

Welcome to “Voices”: your refreshed monthly newsletter from Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage.  

Our first issue focuses on the impact of global crises on girls and adolescents, and why it’s critical they help craft the solutions. Find out why working in partnership with girls and adolescents leads to the most successful actions to end child marriage. Scroll down for news, latest research and upcoming events from across the global movement to end child marriage.  

In solidarity,

Girls Not Brides

PICTURED: Two Adolescent Girls Program participants performing a dance during Girl Up Initiative Uganda’s International Day of the Girl celebrations in Kampala, Uganda. The event brought girls together with local police and government officials, who renewed their commitment to girls' education and wellbeing. 
Photo: Girl Up Initiative Uganda

DESIGNING SOLUTIONS WITH GIRLS, FOR GIRLS

Girls and adolescents are bearing the brunt of the global crises of COVID-19, climate change, conflict and rising costs of living. An additional 10 million girls are expected to marry by 2030 due to the COVID-19 pandemic alone. These crises have disrupted education for over 220 million school-aged children and youth. A concerning statistic when research shows that keeping girls in school is one of the best ways to delay marriage. 

Despite the burden falling on their shoulders, girls and adolescents are often left out of the conversations that impact their futures. When we – and our partners the Ford Foundation, Girls First Fund and VOW for Girls – brought together diverse stakeholders at a side-event to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, they called for more action and opportunities to engage girls and young people as equal partners.  

The international community has made progress on intergenerational solidarity, but we could all learn from the practical experiences of Girls Not Brides member organisations, who have already created spaces for meaningful youth engagement in collective action. Take Girl UP Initiative Uganda, which promotes girls’ and young women’s leadership in their communities. For International Day of the Girl, they brought together primary school girls and local government representatives to discuss education, girls' wellbeing and how to create change. A great initiative to learn from. 

Back in the global arena, the UNGA adopted a Resolution on Child, Early and Forced Marriage with 125 co-sponsors on 15 November. Led by Canada and Zambia and with technical input from Girls Not Brides, the Resolution builds on past gains to focus on girls’ participation – particularly adolescents and those who have been most marginalised – and their sexual and reproductive rights, education and autonomy. Civil society played a key role in achieving this broad support, and now you can join us! We encourage you to use our template letter to urge your government to implement their commitments with and for girls and adolescents.

LATEST LEARNING AND EVIDENCE ON CHILD MARRIAGE

Girls’ education and child marriage 

Keeping all girls in school is one of the best ways of preventing child marriage. Read this updated brief on girls’ education and child marriage for: key facts, examples of what Girls Not Brides member organisations are doing to keep girls in school, and recommendations for governments. Read the brief 

Successful multisectoral and multilevel approaches to address child marriage 

Multisectoral approaches that combine interventions at the individual, community, service provision and policy levels can be effective in delaying marriage. Read this Spotlight for: key takeaways from featured studies, an overview of where evidence needs to be strengthened and where more funding is needed, and tools for practitioners. Read the Spotlight 

Leveraging large-scale sectoral programmes to prevent child marriage 

Large-scale interventions have the potential to reduce the risk of child marriage for millions of girls. Read this report and case studies for: an analysis of how large-scale interventions have contributed to child marriage prevention in Ethiopia and India. Read the report 

Harmful practices that deepen gender inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean 

Child marriage is rooted in and perpetuates gender inequality. Read this report for: statistical and qualitative information, and recommendations for actions to address the practice at the regional and national level. Read the report 

CHILD MARRIAGE IN THE NEWS

Afghans "marry off" baby girls for dowries as starvation looms 

As drought and economic collapse push more families to the brink in Afghanistan, child marriage could "nearly double”, according to women’s rights activists in the country.  
Read the article on Context 

Listen to how the climate crisis is affecting girls 

Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell, CEO of Girls Not Brides appears on the TEDx podcast Climate Curious to share her personal journey and motivation to champion girls and their dreams. Learn about the devastating choices faced by families when climate crisis and other disasters push them to the brink.  
Listen on TEDx and wherever you get your podcasts 

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Child Marriage Research to Action Network (the CRANK) is holding its first online global research convening this December. Join researchers, practitioners, advocates and funders from around the world to strengthen coordination and action to end child marriage.  
When: 6 to 8 December, 2022 
See event information and register 

LEND YOUR VOICE!

Civil society organisations played a key role in calling on governments to support the new UNGA Resolution on child marriage. Now everyone can maintain international pressure on Member States to implement their commitments, using our template letter.