A stark new video by UNICEF highlights the heartbreaking reality of life for child brides in Chad.
Almost seven out of every ten girls in Africa’s fifth-largest nation are married before their 18th birthday, and child brides are five times more likely to die in childbirth than they are to go to school. More than 13.5 million girls were married before they turned 18 in 2010.
Shot in Chad, the video reflects a reality that is common throughout several developing nations. The country’s high child marriage rate ranks third globally, with 68% of girls married as children.
“Girls who are married before their 18th birthdays are not only denied their childhood but are often socially isolated and subjected to violence, and limited opportunities for education and employment,” says Bruno Maes, UNICEF Representative in Chad.
The video is part of UNICEF’S #ENDChildMarriageNow campaign.
