Produced by UNICEF and Bridal Musings, this video was created to raise awareness to END child marriage.
And it starts out like any other wedding video. Imagine a place is filled with elegant decorations. The bride gets her hair done, while the groom puts his jacket on. Family members eagerly wait for the bride to walk down the aisle. Flowers are everywhere.
Then, when the camera zooms in on the bride, I bet you were just as shocked as I was.
She’s only a child.
Lily, the bride in the video, is only 11 years old. Although she should be in school or playing with her teddy bear, Lily is marrying a 35-year-old named John. Notice how everyone in the video – including her family – does nothing to stop the wedding. Instead, they help her get ready for the wedding.
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In addition to Lily, there are 15 million little girls across the world who are forced into marriage every year. For them, a wedding isn’t about celebrating the next chapter of their hopeful lives. Rather, it symbolizes the end of their childhood.
According to Bridal Musings and UNICEF, “The sad truth is that a girl who is married as a child is more likely to be out of school, experience domestic violence, and become infected with HIV/AIDS.
She is more likely to have children when she herself is still a child.” Not only that, both organizations add that children who get married at a young age “are far more likely to die due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth”.
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Child marriage isn’t limited to just one specific region. It’s a global problem that needs to be resolved right away. These little girls deserve the chance to continue fulfilling their dreams.
Please watch this video, and let’s raise awareness to end child marriage by sharing this post with friends and family.
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