A woman opens up about her life as a child bride

CCFC and partners are making progress in India on ending a harmful global practice

Pooja (not her real name) was 13 when her parents took her out of school and made her marry. 

On her wedding night, Pooja’s husband beat her repeatedly for spurning his advances. The next day, Pooja escaped to her parents’ home; they sent her back to her husband. That was just the beginning.

“Why are girls treated as inferior to boys?,” she asks, as she tells her story in the video below. “Many feel sad for having a girl child. Some hate a girl child. Is it wrong to be born a girl?”

Twelve-million girls around the world are forcibly married every year, reports UNICEF. Child brides live in every region of the world, from the Middle East to Latin America, South Asia to Europe. In India, where Pooja lives, 27 percent of girls marry before they’re 18, as reported by Girls Not Brides.

When a girl is forced to marry, she loses her chance at an education, has little or no prospects to earn a living or make decisions in the home and is at high risk of developing reproductive health problems and being a victim of violence.

Watch this video to see Pooja’s story and hear how Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) is working with partners and communities in South India to end child marriage.

About Children Believe

Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe in — and be heard. For 60+ years, we’ve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, we’re driven by a common belief: creating access to education — inside and outside of classrooms — is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.

About Childfund Alliance

A member of ChildFund Alliance, Children Believe is part of a global network of child-focused development organizations working to create opportunities for children and youth, their families and communities. ChildFund helps nearly 23-million children and their families in 70 countries overcome poverty and underlying conditions that prevent children from achieving their full potential. We work to end violence against children; provide expertise in emergencies and disasters to ease the harmful impact on children and their communities; and engage children and youth to create lasting change and elevate their voices in decisions that affect their lives.