Every year, some 15 million girls are married before the age of 18, and their plight is all too often ignored. Girls should not be left to fight this battle on their own. Governments need to establish laws that set 18 as the minimum age for marriage, leaving no room for exceptions such as traditional practices or parental consent.
OXFORD – When Memory Banda’s younger sister was forced to marry at just 11 years old, Memory became determined to ensure that no more girls had to experience her sister’s fate. Since then, this remarkable young woman from rural Malawi has helped to persuade her government to raise the minimum age of marriage across her country, and is blazing a trail for girls that we all should follow.
OXFORD – When Memory Banda’s younger sister was forced to marry at just 11 years old, Memory became determined to ensure that no more girls had to experience her sister’s fate. Since then, this remarkable young woman from rural Malawi has helped to persuade her government to raise the minimum age of marriage across her country, and is blazing a trail for girls that we all should follow.