Twenty-five years after the adoption of the African Children’s Charter, the African Union is calling for an end to child marriage across the continent.
Millions of African families are faced with extreme challenges that push them to make decisions that are not in their girl children’s best interests. Many girls are pressured or misguided into getting married as early as at the age of 10.
Today traditional leaders, families, teachers, policymakers and children themselves will join forces to call for end to this practice.
At Family, we too join this campaign. Early marriage exposes children to a harmful and challenging childhood that impedes their capacity to grow into confident, independent adults. We want families to be strengthened so that children can grow up in a safe, protected and caring family environment. We want the reintegration of children who are separated from their families.