Center for American Progress: Too Young: Helping Child Brides in the Developing World
“…The human implications of these almost medieval marriage practices around the globe are appalling. Such early marriage casts young girls into enormous peril, leaving them far more at risk of violence and abuse and often ending their hopes for education or better lives. For many young girls, child marriage is tantamount to life-threatening health risks, including exposure to HIV/AIDS. … And with child marriage comes child pregnancy – in no small part because young girls usually have the highest levels of unmet need for contraception. … [E]nding child marriage has become an increasingly high-profile advocacy effort around the world. … The concerted international push has led more countries to start changing their laws…” (Norris, 3/19).