The Iraqi parliament is facing mounting pressure from civil society, women’s rights groups, and activists as it considers amendments to the Personal Status Law that could drastically affect the rights and well-being of women and girls in Iraq. If passed, these amendments would lower the legal marriage age from 18 to as young as nine […]
A Win For Youth in Virginia
On February 13th, the Virginia House of Delegates voted to pass House Bill 994, a bill that bans child marriage in all its forms. Virginia was one of the first states to ban child marriage in 2016, but there has always been a loophole allowing emancipated children between 16-18 years old to get married. Now, […]
The Safety of Refugee Girls in Lebanon is in Crisis
A recent survey of 400 refugee girls at the age of 10-19 in Lebanon showed that 70% of them feel frighten traveling during the day by themselves, whereas 90% of them reported that they feel unsafe at night. These young girls talked about how men are attacking them, and how they fear being raped. “We’re […]
Annual Survey of Afghan People Shows Progress for Women and Girls
The Asia Foundation has released their annual Afghanistan survey titled Afghanistan in 2018: A Survey of the Afghan People. It showed an improvement in the perception on the rights and participation of women and girls in society, but there are still many challenges faced by women in the region.
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Girl Scout who Campaigned to End Child Marriage in New Hampshire Elected as State Legislator
Cassandra Levesque, a 19 year old Girl Scout, was elected to the New Hampshire state legislature Tuesday. Levesque made news a few years prior for successfully lobbying the state to end child marriages as part of her Girl Scout Project. Before Levesque’s campaign, the legal age of marriage in New Hampshire was only 13 years […]
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New York Passes Landmark Child Marriage Ban
The New York State Legislature passed a bill last week prohibiting the marriage of minors under 17 and requiring those aged 17 to 18 to obtain court and parental approval of marriage.
Afghan Rap Singer, Warrior Against Child Marriage, Awarded
Nineteen year old Afghan rap singer, Sonita Alizadeh, known for protesting child marriage through her songs, was recently depicted in a documentary entitled Sonita, which just won the 2016 World Cinema Documentary Audience Award.
Egypt’s President Issues Decree Outlawing Child Marriage
In an attempt to outlaw child marriage in the country, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi issued a decree making it illegal for Egyptians to get married before the age of 18.
US Ranks 16th Worldwide on 2015 Social Progress Index
The 2015 Social Progress Index assesses and scores countries worldwide across three categories: Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing, and Opportunity.
“No Ceilings” Report Shows Major Gains and Gaps in Women’s Equality
The Clinton Foundation “No Ceilings” report reveals data measuring women and girls’ participation worldwide over the past twenty years. In many ways, there have been significant increases for women and girls, but there are still massive gaps to be filled and progress to be made.
Malawi’s Parliament Voted Unanimously to End Child Marriage
An estimated 50 percent of Malawian girls becoming child brides, and approximately one in eight girls are married by 15.
Study Shows High Rates of Child Marriage and Maternal Death Across Nigeria
Nigeria accounts for 13 percent of global maternal death rates, with 36,000 women dying in pregnancy or child birth each year, and child marriage rates across Nigeria often outpace those in other nations around the world.
African Union Launches First Campaign to End Child Marriage
The African Union launched its first campaign to curb child marriage in Africa last week, in cooperation with African governments, UNICEF, the UK Department for International Development, and several civil society organizations.
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Outrage Over Continuing Child Marriage in Nigeria
There has been outrage since the Nigerian Senate votedon July 16th to allow girls to marry without age restrictions.
