Media Release
The UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health announces call for submissions from organisations and individuals, particularly from developing countries, with experience and expertise in child marriage.
New Hearings: Child Marriage
15 March 2012 – For Immediate Release
The UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health is to conduct Hearings into Child Marriage on 19th – 20th June, 2012.
The group invites short written submissions from interested organisations and individuals with relevant experience and expertise – especially from developing countries. The group is particularly interested in receiving submissions, including country case studies that address the link between child marriage, the achievement of the MDGs and development opportunities. Positive country case studies are particularly welcome.
The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that:
The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action states that:
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as: “every human being below the age of eighteen years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.”
Deadline for written submissions is 19th April 2012.
Written evidence should:
Any inquiries or postal submissions should be directed to Ann Mette Kjaerby, Parliamentary and Policy Advisor to the APPG on PD&RH on 07791082036 or kjaerbym@parliament.uk
Written evidence may be posted on the APPG on PD&RH website following hearings. If this isn’t acceptable to the organisation or person submitting the written evidence this should be clearly stated.
[ENDS]
- “Marriage should be “entered only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses”.
- “…governments should develop an integrated approach to the special health, education and social needs of girls and young women, and should strictly enforce laws to ensure that marriage is entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.”
- “…countries are urged to create a socio-economic environment conducive to the elimination of all child marriages and should also discourage early marriage.”
- “…the increase in the education of women and girls contributes to women’s empowerment, to postponement of marriage and to reductions in family size.”
- If possible, be provided electronically in MS Word or Rich Text format either by e-mail to kjaerbym@parliament.uk or on a hard disk. If submitted by e-mail or e-mail attachment, a letter should also be sent validating the e-mail.
- Be no longer than 3,000 words and begin with a one page summary.
- Letterhead should contain your full postal address and contact details and if possible include a brief introduction to the persons or organisations submitting written evidence (stating their area of expertise, etc.)
- Avoid the use of colour or expensive-to-print material.
- Supplementary material (leaflets, articles from periodicals, etc.) may also be sent, but it is helpful if the memorandum itself is self-contained (summarising the main points made in the supplementary material if necessary).