By Yvonne Misando
If only every child had the chance to dream big and chase those dreams, without being forced to grow up too soon. Unfortunately, that’s not the reality for millions of children around the world.
Many are trapped in child marriage, forced to get married before they turn 18. It’s like having their future decided before they even get a chance to shape it themselves.
Child marriage isn’t just something from the past. It still happens today, taking away childhood, education, and freedom. Kids who should be in school, playing, and discovering who they want to be are instead pushed into adult responsibilities they’re not ready for.
Education often stops, dreams are put on hold, and choices disappear.
Even though child marriage is becoming less common, change isn’t happening fast enough. Out of every 100 girls, about 19 are married before 18. A few decades ago, it was 23 out of 100, so there’s progress, but it’s way too slow.
Right now, 640 million girls worldwide have been forced into marriage as children. That’s more than the entire population of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico combined. Every year, another 12 million girls are added to that number, enough to fill an entire stadium with children who didn’t get the chance to grow up before being married off.
At this rate, it would take 300 years to completely end child marriage. That’s an entire lifetime for many generations to come. While boys also experience child marriage, it’s far less common, about 4 or 5 out of 100. In some countries, like the Central African Republic, Nicaragua, and Madagascar, the numbers are slightly higher for boys, but the problem overwhelmingly affects girls.
The world has made a promise to end child marriage by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. But unless things change faster, that promise won’t be kept.
So what can be done? The first step is understanding that every child, boy or girl, deserves the right to make their own choices about their future. Girls must have access to education so they can learn, grow, and decide their own paths. Communities need to talk about why child marriage is harmful and stand up for the rights of young girls. Governments must create and enforce laws that protect children.
No one should have to give up their childhood to become a bride or groom. It’s time to make child marriage history.
Say NO to child marriage!