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gazettegirlsx19rightsINTERNATIONALDAYOFTHEGIRLCHILDThursday11October2012AyounggirlatschoolinNigerwith11OctoberwrittenonherblackboardaftertheUnitedNationsdeclaredthisthex1cInternationalDayoftheGirlChildx1dSEEPAGE5PhotoPlanPhotoRussellWatkinsDepartmentforInternationalDevelopmentBecauseIamaGirl...TooyoungtowedWorkingtogethertoendchildmarriagex1cBorninoneox1dthepoorestregionsox1dtheworldIamoneox1dthemostdisad-vantagedpeopleonEarth.BecauseIamaGirlIwillhavex1dewerchancesateverystageox1dlix1de.Iamlesslikelytogotoschoolthanmybrothers.BecauseIamaGirlIamlikelytobex1dorcedtomarryearlytoamantwothreeorevenx1dourtimesmyagetobesub-jectedtoviolenceandhavemysexualrightscontrolledbyothers.BecauseIamaGirlIamtooeasytoignore.ButIamalsoasymbolox1dhopeBecauseIamaGirl.WithagoodDR.BABATuNDEOSOTImEHINExecutiveDirectorofUNFPAChildmarriageiscommonplaceinmanycountriesworldwideevenwherelawsx1dorbidit.Thepracticejeopardisesgirlsx19rightssuchastherighttoeducationbecausenewbridesareusuallyx1dorcedtodropoutox1dschooltobearchildrenandtoprovidehouseholdlabour.Inaddi-tionmarriedgirlshavex1dewsocialcon-nectionsrestrictedmobilitylimitedcontroloverresourcesandlittleornopowerintheirnewhouseholdsandarethusespeciallyvulnerabletodomesticviolence.Thepracticeexcludesgirlsx1dromdecisionsregardingthetimingox1dmarriageandchoiceox1dspouse.Itmarksanabruptandviolentinitiationintosexualrelationsox1dtenwithahus-bandwhoisaconsiderablyolderadultandarelativestranger.Noculturalreligiousoreconomicrationalex1dorchildmarriagecanpossiblyeducationIcaninturneducatemycom-munityandmycountry.Iwillearnmoreinthex1duturemarrylaterandhavex1dewerhealthierchildren.IhavetherighttothiseducationandIhavethepowertobreakthecycleox1dpovertyx1doreverBecauseIamaGirl.Youcanhelpmeandx1dourmilliongirlslikemeachieveourdreams.BecauseIamaGirlIwanttogotoschooltolearntheskillsIneedtosucceedinlix1de.Iwanttoescapealix1deox1dpovertyandhelpmakeabetterx1duturex1doreveryone.Ix1dyoubelieveinmeandmillionsox1dgirlslikemeraiseyourhandnow.x1dThisisthestoryox1dmillionsox1dgirlslivinginpovertyaroundtheworld.Helpthemescapethislix1deandachievetheirdreams.Withyoursupporttheycanrealisetheirpotential.www.raiseyorhandnow.cox1ejustix1dythedamagethesemarriagesdotoyounggirlsandtheirpotential.Agirlshouldhavetherighttochoosewhomshemarriesandwhen.Parentswantthebestx1dortheirchildrenandneedtosup-porttheirgirlsx19choicesanddecisionstomarry.Whenagirldelaysmarriageevery-onebenefts.Agirlwhomarrieslaterismorelikelytostayinschoolworkandreinvestherincomeintoherx1damilywhichhelpsleadherx1damilyandeven-tuallyhercommunityoutox1dpoverty.Cruciallyagirlwhomarrieslaterismoreempoweredtochoosewhetherwhenandhowmanychildrentohave.Sheandherx1damilyaremoreeducatedandhealthier.TheUnitedNationsPopulationFundUNFPAisworkingwithgov-ernmentsandpartnersatalllevelsox1dsocietytodelivercomprehensivepro-grammesaddressingtheneedsox1dvul-nerableandmarriedgirlsincludingaccesstolivelihoodssocialsupportandhealthprogrammesincludingsexualandreproductivehealth.Theultimateaimistoendchildmarriageinthisgen-erationandtoshix1dtculturalattitudestoprotectgirlsx19rights.Thereisahugecosttoinactiononchildmarriage.Itistimex1dorpoli-cymakersparliamentarianscom-munitiesx1damiliesandyoungpeopletoaddressthisissueheadon.Letx19sdeliveraworldwhereeverypregnancyiswantedeverybirthissax1deandeveryyoungpersonx19spotentialisx1dulflled.Letgirlsbegirls.AbouttheWeekp3EuropeanParliamentPresidentp2INSIDEUNFPAco-chairsx13togetherwithUNICEFx13theUNAdolescentGirlsTaskForcewhichpromotestherightsofadolescentgirlsespeciallythemostmarginalisedtoreachtheirfullpotential.TheTaskForcealsoincludesILOUNESCOUNHCRUNWomenandWHO