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Dear Criss,
All around the world, millions of girls, some as young as 14, are getting married off to men twice their age or older. This is a dangerous practice that puts these children at risk and hinders their potential for success. Young brides are more likely to become young mothers, drop out of school and suffer domestic violence. Join CARE and ask your member of Congress to support the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act, which deems child marriage a human rights violation and works towards a strategy to prevent it from happening. Do your part -- urge Congress to take action today.
Don Hazen
Executive Editor, AlterNet.org
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 Dear Friend,
Imagine a girl of 14 with her whole life ahead of her. She has dreams of an education, a career and, eventually, a happy family. Instead, she soon will be getting married -- likely to a man more than twice her age or older.
Child marriage is a human rights violation that puts young girls at risk and keeps them mired in poverty. They need your protection.
Please, ask your member of Congress to help prevent child marriage by co-sponsoring the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2009.
When a girl is forced to marry at a young age, it diminishes her chance at an education, endangers her health and has long-lasting and dire consequences not only to her, but to her family and community as well.
Young brides are:
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More likely to become young mothers. Girls under the age of 15 are five times more likely to die of childbirth than a woman in her 20s. |
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More likely to drop out of school and have limited economic opportunities in the future, which keeps them and their families locked in the cycle of poverty. |
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Twice as likely to suffer domestic violence and are more vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases like HIV. |
The cost of these marriages is too high to be ignored. I urge you to ask your members of Congress to take immediate action.
The United States can use its leadership to prevent child marriage. This important legislation recognizes child marriage as a human rights violation, and develops a comprehensive strategy to prevent these marriages and empower young girls.
CARE, one of the world's largest international humanitarian organizations, supports families and communities to reduce the prevalence of child marriage throughout the developing world. Join me in helping see that no girl is forced into an early marriage -- ask your representatives to co-sponsor the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2009 today.
Thank you for helping to empower young girls around the world.
Sincerely,
Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO, CARE |
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