It’s time all young people say ‘nothing about us, without us!’

1.8 billion people alive today are aged between 10 and 24 years old, making this the largest youth population in history. There is real urgency to address problems that are preventing young people from living their best possible lives. Young people are the most affected by child marriage: we are not going to end this harmful practice without them.

We often hear that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow; but here at Girls Not Brides, we know that young people are already leading! We cannot perpetuate a world where decisions about the future are made without those who will live in it. The youth of today must be empowered to speak out for the future they want. Engaging youth, working with both boys and girls, is key to transforming gender norms and vital in breaking the cycle of child marriage. We must make sure that young people are heard, and we must include them in working on ending child marriage; to put a stop to this practice for this generation and for those to come.

Announcing new youth activism training resources to end child marriage

Over one third of our global partnership are youth-led organisations, and many more work directly with young people, all forging the way to end child marriage. Ahead of International Youth Day on 12 August, this is why we are so excited to launch the new Girls Not Brides youth activism training programme. Co-created with young activists and member organisations from around the world, these new one-of-a-kind training resources will help strengthen and amplify the role that young people can, and do, play as powerful activists in ending child marriage.

Stand up, Speak out!

The new training resources offer you a carefully planned series of workshops, all designed to empower young people; both by building knowledge around child marriage and by strengthening the skills they need to become powerful change makers.

All sessions are planned to help empower young people with knowledge around child marriage, and how they can become powerful advocates and change makers. Throughout the training, there are dynamic, fun methods and strategies we have included for empowering young people to champion change in their communities.

The training package is made up of two resources.

• A Trainer Manual: offering step-by-step guidance on how to run a series of training workshops with young people interested in developing their child marriage activism skills. Made up of 5 modules, covering specific topics, the training will lead participants on a journey of discovery.
• A Participant Guide: which is a textbook on how to advocate for change, designed to accompany the training.

Download the training today!

We want people around the world – of all ages – to use this training to help spread the power and call for a better future. We hope that by all of you, our amazing Girls Not Brides members and partners, this activism training will empower young people everywhere with the expertise and skills to make a change in their world. Every step we each take makes a difference and brings us closer to our goal: it is only together that we are able to end child marriage.

Help us mobilise young people for a stronger global movement to end child marriage!

Share these new resources with your networks, hold training workshops with young people you work with, and help make a loud noise for #youthpower

Read our previous blog on the 5 reasons why young people are so critical in our cause.