On Day of the Girl, Girls Not Brides members all over the world are striving to end child marriage

International Day of the Girl is an opportunity to celebrate, empower and support girls. Girls Not Brides members on every continent put on a variety of events, bringing together girls, parents, religious leaders, policy-makers and more to call for an end to child marriage.

Take a look at what some of our National Partnerships and members achieved on Day of the Girl 2017!

Burkina Faso

Girls Not Brides members in Burkina Faso held an event in the north of the country targeting religious leaders. Girls shared their messages directly with leaders, encouraging them to become child marriage champions. This work supports Burkina Faso’s national strategy to end child marriage 2016-2025.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaEpInnhgCB/?taken-by=girlsnotbrides_or

Cameroon

Girls Not Brides Cameroon hosted a conference with the Ministry of Women's Empowerment bringing together over 70 Presidents of women's associations to celebrate girls. Schoolchildren in Yaoundé filmed vox pops in 15 languages telling the world that child marriage is against their rights, and that girls should be “flower girls and not the bride”.

Ghana

Girls Not Brides Ghana held ten events about child marriage across the country, targeting local decision-makers. A municipal chief executive and child marriage champion urged parents to prioritise their children’s futures by avoiding child marriage. Girls delivered a joint communique to the president and Girls Not Brides Ghana’s advocacy efforts were featured in national media.

https://twitter.com/fouzia_tua/status/918148935134347264

https://twitter.com/GirlsNotBrides/status/918131132843155457

Malawi

Girls Not Brides Malawi brought together community leaders, policy-makers and youth advocates to advance efforts to end child marriage in the country. Earlier this year, Malawi amended its constitution to increase the age of marriage to 18.

Girls were also at the heart of celebrations! Girls Not Brides members YONECO and GENET Malawi marched a mile to end child marriage, and YONECO showcased girls’ talent in a girls band, bringing together community members for engaging dance and radio events

https://twitter.com/genetmalawi/status/918187401750679557

https://twitter.com/charlespkbanda/status/918436118110056448

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaHS82KB03D/?taken-by=girlsnotbrides_org

Mozambique

Girls Not Brides Mozambique organised a fair in a district where child marriage is common. They delivered an amazing variety of services, including birth and civil registration, and sexual and reproductive health services.

Nepal

Girls Not Brides Nepal held a national girls’ congress where young people presented their vision for a child marriage-free Nepal to political leaders.

https://twitter.com/UpretySudeep/status/918748828777422848

Pakistan

Civil society organisations came together in Islamabad and adopted a resolution targeting government officials to end child marriage. The resolution makes the case for preventing child marriage as a way to achieve sustainable development for all. It also calls on federal and provincial governments to change discriminatory laws, fund outreach to marginalised girls, and monitor and evaluate data that tracks girls' empowerment.

Tanzania

Members of Girls Not Brides Tanzania held events on child marriage and girls' empowerment in Tarime, with a booth visited by the Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly & Children.

Uganda

Girls Not Brides Uganda launched, with the support of Amplify Change, a new CSO-led advocacy campaign to end child marriage across the country.

Girls Not Brides members also took part in the first ever Women’s Health Summit in Uganda during which the First Lady asked parents to protect their daughters and girls called on their community to keep them in school.

https://www.facebook.com/82623509377/posts/10155729121429378

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaGqjeGB7aw/?taken-by=girlsnotbrides_org

United States

Girls Not Brides USA held an event with the House Foreign Affairs Committee on child marriage and girls’ education. Civil society as well as policy-makers of both major political parties discussed how U.S. Foreign Assistance could best end these harmful practices.

https://twitter.com/BettyMcCollum04/status/917864197710422019

Zimbabwe

Young people delivered a petition to Parliament calling for strengthened laws and policies on child marriage and sexual exploitation. The national coalition to end child marriage brought young female MPs and senior MPs together to discuss progress on ending child marriage.

How did you celebrate day of the girl? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.