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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> WUNRN_LISTSERVE-owner@lists.wunrn.com [mailto:WUNRN_LISTSERVE-owner@lists.wunrn.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>WUNRN LISTSERVE<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, December 29, 2017 10:40 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WUNRN ListServe <wunrn_listserve@lists.wunrn.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WUNRN] 8 Child Marriage Myths/Misconceptions<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WUNRN<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.wunrn.com/">http://www.wunrn.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/8-child-marriage-myths-bust-international-womens-day-2017/">https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/8-child-marriage-myths-bust-international-womens-day-2017/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">8 Child Marriage Myths/Misconceptions
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333"><img border="0" width="720" height="405" id="Picture_x0020_6" src="cid:image005.jpg@01D38026.391A16C0" alt="https://gnb-test.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/rema16.jpg?crop=faces&w=901&h=506.8125&fit=crop&fm=pjpg"></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">Classmates say no to child marriage in Rajasthan, India © Girls Not Brides</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">December 18, 2017 - From the halls of the United Nations to communities around the world, much has been done to raise
awareness of child marriage. But sometimes the myths about what drives child marriage persist. Here are eight common misconceptions about child marriage – and why they’re wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">1/“Child marriage only happens in Africa and Asia”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">A Google search for “child marriage” will bring up photos of Indian brides or adolescent mothers from Africa. But child
marriage is a global problem that cuts across countries, regions, cultures and religions. The countries with the highest numbers of child brides range from Niger to Indonesia to Brazil. The practice also happens in parts of North America and Europe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333"><img border="0" width="614" height="529" id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image006.png@01D38026.391A16C0" alt="dfgfhfghg"></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">2/“Child marriage is a cultural practice. We have to respect culture”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">In many communities, child marriage has been a tradition for decades, if not centuries. So much so that it can be seen
as a core part of the culture. But not all cultural practices are positive. Child marriage deprives girls of education and economic opportunities, and puts their health and safety at risk. The solution is not to condemn all traditions, but to work with communities
to change traditions from within. As <i>Girls Not Brides</i> champion Gra<i>ç</i>a Machel always says:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">“Traditions are made by people, they can be changed by people.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">3/“Child marriage only happens to girls.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">Child marriage is driven by gender inequality. But boys are married off too. According to UNICEF, 156 million men alive
today were married before 18. Child marriage often pushes boys into the workforce and forces them to take on adult responsibilities before they are ready.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">4/“Parents do not care for their daughters if they marry them off”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">Child marriage is driven by factors that go beyond parents’ individual decisions. Parents might feel they have no choice
given the circumstances, or think they’re doing the best for their daughters. Ignoring the root causes of child marriage, or attacking the value system of people who practice it, will only alienate girls and their parents. When parents see how much better
off girls are in school and out of marriage we can create change.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">5/“Child marriage always involves young girls and older men”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">The media often focuses on stories of girls married at a very young age. While these stories happen, the vast majority
of child marriages involve adolescent girls. Globally, the rates of marriage of under-15s have gradually declined. But the marriage rates of 16 to 17-year-old girls have stagnated or increased.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">Behind this trend lie deeper problems: lack of educational and employment opportunities for girls past secondary school,
as well as the social and family pressure to marry – especially if they already have a boyfriend. In Nepal, for instance, there has been an increase in “love marriages” where adolescent boys and girls decide to marry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">6/“Child marriage is a family matter. It does not concern us”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">The consequences of child marriage do not just stay within the family. When 15 million girls are married before 18 every
year, everyone is affected. Child marriage perpetuates cycles of poverty, inequality and oppression – from one generation to another. It is one of the most blatant manifestations of gender inequality worldwide. It should concern us all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">7/“Child marriage is a religious problem”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">Child marriage is not linked to a single religion. It happens to girls of Hindu, Muslim or Catholic faith, as well as
girls from other faiths. In fact, religious leaders play a crucial role in tackling child marriage. They can check that the bride and the groom are both above 18 before a religious wedding, promote progressive interpretation of religious texts, and help people
understand that their religion does not condone child marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">8/“These girls must be completely helpless”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">Girls can play a huge role in ending child marriage if they have access to education and know about their rights. Many
girls who once faced child marriage, now advocate for an end to the practice. Girls speaking from experience are well placed to change the minds of their peers and community members.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.25in"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">The causes and drivers of child marriage are as varied as they are complex. And by constantly challenging the myths about
child marriage and setting the record straight we are all a step closer to solving a problem that affects 15 million girls each year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">_____________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p>
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