A leader in fighting child marriage, Canada can still do more
Canada has been a leader on the global stage in fighting child marriage. Will it now match that leadership with more funding and large-scale programs?
Last Friday, thanks to the leadership of the government of Canada and its partner Zambia, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a historic resolution on child, early and forced marriage. The resolution compels us to take child marriage seriously, recognizing it as a global problem that undermines our efforts to reduce poverty and build a world that is more equal.
Each of the 15 million girls a year who marry as children has a story that cuts right to your heart. In Zambia I recently met Chi-Chi who was 15 when her father married her off in exchange for a bride price. Her marriage was not a happy one. She dropped out of school, was beaten by her husband and became a mother before she was ready.