How many girls a year are affected ?
Every year , 13.5 million girls around the world marry before their eighteenth birthday . Based on current trends , 142 million girls will be married in the decade to 2020 . That ’ s an average of 14.2 million girls every year .
What are the impacts on the child bride ?
Getting married too young can mean a life of problems for young girls . They are exposed to experiences which they are neither mentally nor physically prepared for .
This can range from severe sexual and reproductive health complications ( including fistula and maternal mortality ) and high infant or child mortality , to domestic violence , social isolation and extreme poverty .
We know that World Vision aims to stop this practice through Child sponsorship . How does sponsoring a child work ? How are the funds disbursed ? On the child ' s education ? On educating parents / community leaders ? On creating sustainable economic practices for the community ? On raising awareness ? Please outline .
When you sponsor a child through World Vision the money goes towards supporting the child ’ s entire community . World Vision commits to being in a community for around fifteen years and in this time will support local people with things like access to education , health care , safe water , sustainable access to food and ongoing ways to make money - such as setting up small businesses .
World Vision also works with communities to promote gender equality and social change to end harmful practices . Many of these will help prevent the need for parents to resort to early marriage .
In several communities , World Vision also runs children ’ s clubs , where children are taught about the dangers of child marriage and what to do if they feel they are at risk . World Vision also works to educate parents and community leaders about the health and legal implications of arranging an underage marriage .
During emergencies , such as the current Syria crisis , World Vision sets up safe places for children to learn , play and receive support to recover from any trauma they have been through .
28 JASMINE ' S PLACE