UNICEF / AFRICA CHILD MARRIAGE

In a new report, the United Nations Children’s Fund warns the number of child brides in Africa could more than double to 310 million by 2050, if current level persists. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:11
• Production Date: 25 November 2015
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: CHILD RIGHTS; CHILDREN
• Geographic Subject: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC; SIERRA LEONE; SOMALIA
• MAMS Id: 1519504
• Parent Id: 1519504
• Alternate Title: unifeed151125e

Description

STORY: UNICEF / AFRICA CHILD MARRIAGE
TRT: 01:11
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: NATS

DATELINE: FILE - 07 MARCH, 2013, BOROMA, SOMALIA / FILE - 22 MAY, 2015, PORT LOKO, SIERRA LEONE / FILE - 28 AUGUST, 2015, BATANGAFO, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Shotlist

FILE - 07 MARCH, 2013, BOROMA, SOMALIA

1. Various shots, women from the group “Woman to Woman”, which combats Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and addresses other women-related issues, discussing and sitting on a mat

FILE - 22 MAY, 2015, PORT LOKO, SIERRA LEONE

3. Various shots, women with children attending a meeting at the “E.L.A”, a UNICEF-supported adolescent club, where girls receive financial literacy training and participate in microfinance programmes
4. Various shots, girls in classroom

FILE - 28 AUGUST, 2015, BATANGAFO, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

5. Various shots, girls participating in a UNICEF-facilitated agreement and ceremony for group leaders to free all children in their ranks
6. Med shot, UNICEF staff during ceremony

Storyline

In a new report released today (26 Nov) by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) at the African Union Girls Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, the total number of child brides in Africa will rise from 125 million to 310 million by 2050 if current levels persist.

UNICEF’s statistical report, A Profile of Child Marriage in Africa, points to slow rates of reduction, combined with rapid population growth, as major causes for the projected increase.

In all other regions of the world, current rates of reduction and demographic trends mean there will be fewer child brides each year.

By 2050 Africa will surpass South Asia as the region with the highest number of women aged 20 to 24 who were married as children.

Across Africa, the percentage of young women who were married as children has dropped from 44 per cent in 1990 to 34 per cent today.

Because Africa’s total population of girls is expected to rise from 275 million today to 465 million by 2050, UNICEF says more action is needed, as even a doubling of the current rate of reduction in child marriages will still mean an increase in the number of child brides.

The UN agency also says that progress has also been inequitable: The likelihood that a girl from the poorest quintile would be married as a child is as strong today as it was 25 years ago.

The African Union launched a continent-wide campaign to End Child Marriage last May. This was followed with an action plan for governments to reduce child marriage rates by increasing girls’ access to birth registration, quality education and reproductive health services; as well as strengthening and enforcing laws and policies that protect girls’ rights and prohibit marriage before 18.