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Child Marriage

Child brides: How old is too young to marry?

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The UN warns that 140 million girls will become child brides between 2011 and 2020.
Fri, 03/08/2013
Al Jazeera English

ICRW's research on child brides and young mothers is quoted in this article and the related video, which both explore the prevalence of child marriage and the immense repercussions of the practice. 

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Jeff Edmeades discusses child marriage on BBC Radio

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Jeff Edmeades discusses the situation of child marriage in Ethiopia and Afghanistan. His 5-minute live interview with BBC Radio 5 begins at mark 3:20

Turning Point: A Second Chance for Child Brides

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Wed, 11/14/2012
Huffington Post

Gillian Gaynair writes about her experience meeting child brides in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. This blog is part of the #GivingTuesday series, produced by The Huffington Post and the teams at InterAction, 92nd Street Y,United Nations Foundation, and others. Following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday -- which takes place for the first time on Tuesday, November 27 -- is a movement intended to open the holiday season on a philanthropic note.

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Giving Girls a Voice

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Fri, 11/02/2012
Huffington Post

Global Director of Girls' Education at Room to Read, Emily Leys writes abou thte importance of education in preventing child marriage.

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Suzanne Petroni

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Suzanne
Petroni
Senior Director, Gender, Population and Development
Bio: 

Dr. Suzanne Petroni is senior director of gender, population and development at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), where she leads the organization’s research and programs on reproductive health and rights, as well as gender and population dynamics, such as fertility rates, marriage patterns and urbanization.

Prior to joining ICRW, Petroni was the Vice President of Global Health at the Public Health Institute. There, she expanded the organization’s global health engagement through research, program and policy work. She also acted as the organization’s spokesperson and liaison on global health issues with governments, the media, federal agencies, private foundations, non-profit organizations, universities and other outlets.

Prior to that, Petroni was Senior Program Officer at the Summit Foundation, leading the foundation’s Global Population and Youth Leadership Program by designing and implementing grant-making strategies to mobilize support for sexual and reproductive health in the developing world. While at Summit, Petroni also served as Chair of the Funders Network on Population, Reproductive Health & Rights, and as chair of an international donor group on adolescent reproductive health and development. At the U.S. State Department from 1997-2001, Petroni worked in the offices of the Under Secretary for Global Affairs and Population, Refugees and Migration

Expertise: 

Reproductive Health and Rights, Adolescents, Gender and Population

Languages Spoken: 

English (native), Spanish

Education: 

Petroni received her PhD in gender and social policy from The George Washington University and her master of science in foreign service from Georgetown University. She has published and spoken widely on a range of issues related to population and reproductive health and rights.

Child Marriage in Southern Asia

Child Marriage in Southern Asia
Policy Options for Action

ICRW, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD)
2012

Child marriage is not only a violation of a girl’s rights; it also seriously compromises efforts to reduce gender-based violence, advance education, overcome poverty and improve health indicators for girls and women. In these just released policy and advocacy briefs, the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) and its partners highlight the life-threatening situations girls in nine Southern Asian countries face on account of child marriage and recommend ways in which policymakers can prevent the practice.

The nine countries included in the briefs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

(3.13 MB)

We encourage the use and dissemination of our publications for non-commercial, educational purposes. Portions may be reproduced with acknowledgment to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). For questions, please contact publications@icrw.org; or (202) 797-0007.

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International Girls’ Day: Five facts about global girls’ rights

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Thu, 10/11/2012
The Washington Post

Washington Post writer, Olga Khazan, writes about give issues affecting girls and the importance of the first International Day of the Girl.

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Out of the Shadows: Facts and Figures

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Millions of girls under 18 are married each year against their will.

Child Marriage: Voices from Ethiopia

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Let's support girls who are already married and prevent marriage for those who aren't.

Give girls a choice. Give girls a chance.

Video created by 10X10, a feature film and social action campaign in support of girls' education.

Sample Letter to Sec. Clinton

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The Honorable Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
U.S.Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Secretary Clinton, 

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Introduce yourself by stating your name and hometown. Include a brief, 1-sentence summary of why you are writing the letter. 

Paragraph 2: Child Marriage – Making the case

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