Mozambique launches plan to end child marriage and get girls in school
Girls' education
Albertina Ricardo, 17, with her child in Inhambane, Mozambique 国产视频 she dropped out of school and got married at 15
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Mozambique, which has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, unveiled a national plan yesterday to end the practice which affects nearly half of the country国产视频檚 girls.
国产视频(This is) a cause for celebration and should inspire our听African neighbours to do the same,国产视频 said Albino Francisco,听cordinator of Girls Not Brides Mozambique which helped the听government draw up the strategy.
Although there has been a slight fall in the rate of child听marriage in Mozambique, campaigners say population growth means听the number of child brides has increased.
Mozambique has the world国产视频檚 tenth highest rate of child听marriage 国产视频 with 48% of girls wed by their 18th birthday听and 14% before they turn 15, according to the United Nations children国产视频檚听fund UNICEF.
The national strategy outlines eight pillars key to ending听child marriage including an awareness drive, improving girls国产视频櫶齛ccess to education, sexual and reproductive health services,听sex education and legal reforms, according to Girls Not Brides.
Students happy to be at school in the city of Beira听
Early marriage not only deprives girls of education and听opportunities but increases the risk of death or serious听childbirth injuries if they have babies before their bodies are听ready.
Child brides are often disempowered and at greater risk of听domestic and sexual violence and HIV, experts say. Mozambican news site Noticias, which reported the launch,听described child marriage as 国产视频渁 social evil国产视频.
The reasons behind child marriage vary across the country听but the common factors are poverty and lack of education.
In some areas, campaigners say girls as young as nine go听through initiation rites where they learn how to please a man in听bed and perform domestic duties as part of preparations for marriage.
Worldwide, 15 million girls are married off as children听every year.
Learn more about about the cycle of child marriage and exclusion from education
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