Help End Child Marriage
Urge your member of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 3175, the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2007, which seeks to prevent child marriage in developing countries. This bill calls for US$25 million per year from 2008 to 2012 to craft a strategy to prevent child marriage and address the unique needs and vulnerabilities of girls age eight to 18 in poor countries. Ask your U.S. Representative to please contact Bill Harper in the office of Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) at Bill.Harper@mail.house.gov or at (202) 225-6631 to lend support now.
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN SAY:
"Did you know that, in many of the world’s poorest countries, 50 to 75 percent of all girls are married before they turn 18?
Aside from the grave human rights implications, child marriage is very dangerous for girls.
In developing countries, girls age 10-14 are five times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than women age 20-24.
When girls marry young, they are often forced to drop out of school and have a greater risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. These factors perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
Promoting educational and economic opportunities for girls can reduce child marriage.
These girls need our help.
Would you cosponsor H.R. 3175, the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2007, which seeks to prevent child marriage in developing countries?
This bill calls for US$25 million per year from 2008 to 2012 to craft a strategy to prevent child marriage and address the unique needs and vulnerabilities of girls age eight to 18 in poor countries."
