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NGO & Charities, Philanthropy, Politics & Foreign Affairs, SDG Series, United Nations

Ending Child Marriage: An Urgent Global Challenge

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Gender equality and women´s empowerment are essential to transform our world. Gender inequality affects women and girls in every country, stagnating their social, educational and economic advance. Fighting against gender inequality is vital to deal with challenges in society, from promoting education and health to reducing poverty and ending cultural practices like genital mutilation.

Child marriage is a global challenge and despite being prohibited by international law, this practice violates the rights of millions of girls across regions, religions and cultures. Around the world, 15 million girls marry before age 18 each year and about 720 million women who married before age 18 are alive today. One girl under 15 is married every seven seconds. We must act together against this injurious practice.

International organizations and NGOs are calling for action to the end of child, early and forced marriage in societies. Examples of recent and brilliant campaigns designed to achieve the goal of ending child marriage include: Counting the Invisible (#InvisibleGirls, #BecauseiamaGirl) from Plan International; End Child Marriage (#EndChildMarriage) from Human Rights Watch; “No time to lose: On Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting“ from UNICEF and “Leave no One Behind” according to the Sustainable Development Goals “A people-powered agenda” from United Nations.

Related Article: “EMPOWERING WOMEN: THE SILVER BULLET TO ACHIEVING THE SDGS“

To this end, the theme of this year’s International Day of the Girl that took place the 11th October was based on the seventeen Sustainable Development Goal. The International Day slogan was “Girls´ Progress equals Goals´ Progress: What Count for Girls”.

Video Credit: Human Rights Watch 

Child marriage has devastating effects for girls and women. Health risks including death from early pregnancy are one of the most dangerous consequences of child marriage. Also, girls and women married early are more likely to suffer violence, abuses and forced sexual relations and more vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections.

Married children usually leave school and this creates serious problems as they lose their chance to receive an education and pursue opportunities in life. Education is vital for girls to make informed decisions about their own lives, to empower themselves and to break their own cycle of poverty.

Another point of concern is the situation of children caught in conflict zones, in which girls are more likely to become child brides.  In this sense, among the list of 30 states with the highest prevalence of child marriage, more than a half are considered fragile or conflicted-affected countries.

Child marriage has a global presence and it can be found in every region around the world, from the Middle East to Latin America, South Asia to Europe, in rich and poor countries. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have the highest rates of child brides.

The 10 countries with the highest rates of child marriage are (Child marriage prevalence is the percentage of women 20-24 years old who were first married or in union before they were 18 years old):

1-      Niger                          76%

2-      Central African Republic    68%

3-      Chad                           68%

4-      Mali                            55%

5-      Bangladesh                52%

6-      South Sudan              52%

7-      Burkina Faso              52%

8-      Guinea                       52%

9-      Mozambique              48%

10-    India                           47%

The 10 countries with the highest absolute number of child marriage are (Women aged 20 to 24 years old who were married before they were 18):

1-    India                                26.610.000

2-    Bangladesh                      3.931.000

3-    Nigeria                              3.306.000

4-    Brazil                                 2.928.000

5-    Ethiopia                             1.974.000

6-    Pakistan                             1.875.000

7-    Indonesia                           1.408.000

8-    Mexico                               1.282.000

9-    Democratic Republic of the Congo    1.274.000

10-  Tanzania                              887.000

It is quite worrying that in many of the countries that allow child marriage minimum age requirements are often ignored. Almost all of the countries around the world have laws specifying at what age marriage is allowed, and in most of these nations, a couple can wed under the age of 18. In some countries such as Iraq, Jamaica and Uruguay, children can marry with parental permission. Ninety-six percent of countries have laws that specify when citizens can legally marry, but there are six nations that do not specify a minimum age for marriage (Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen).

MDG3_July_v2 copy copy

PHOTO CREDIT: UNITED NATIONS

So despite the number of laws against child, early and forced marriage, the practice remains widespread due to inadequate enforcement of laws and misconceptions about traditional, cultural activities and social pressures that reflect gender inequality and gender-based discrimination.

Ending child marriage will not be easy. It requires societies to change some of their cultural backgrounds, governments to become aware of that challenge, to plan how to prevent and eradicate forced and early marriage and to find the resources to make the goal work.

It is essential to change harmful laws and institutional frameworks that limit the rights of girls and women and prevent them from achieving their full potential. We must support global women´s empowerment and fight against gender-based violence and inequality. To this end, civil society must work together in the promotion and strengthening of girls and women´s rights and placing gender equality priority on the national and international political agendas.

As realized society, we can make a lot of progress in the fight against gender discrimination. We can join great NGOs campaigns dedicated to raise awareness about girls and women´s inequality challenge, inspiring others to get involved and advocating in our countries and societies to influence decision makers.

Also, we can actively promote the implementation of international community landmarks cases, as the referred to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security (and related 2242 Resolution and National Action Plans) or the United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution dedicated to child, early and forced marriage adopted the 3th July 2015.

In conclusion, gender inequality is robbing the future of millions of girls and women around the world. If there is no reduction in child marriage, the global number of child brides will reach 1.2 billion by 2050. Our advocacy is imperative. We have no time to lose.

Video Credit: UNICEF

Recommended Reading: “THE AUTHENTIC POWER OF MICHELLE OBAMA”

EDITOR’S NOTE: THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED HERE BY IMPAKTER.COM COLUMNISTS ARE THEIR OWN, NOT THOSE OF IMPAKTER.COM. FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT:  Flicker/Todd Huffman CC2.0 
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Passionate about International Relations and Human Rights. I hold an International Security PhD and I'm specialized in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Security, EU and US Foreign Affairs and Women, peace and security. Currently, Spanish Women in International Security (SWIIS) Coordinator.

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Food, Impact, Uncategorized

The food industry is coming under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact, from greenhouse gas emissions, to excessive and detrimental land and water usage, to chemical pollution. Given the challenge of feeding a growing world population whilst simultaneously needing to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts, clearly we need to look at alternatives to “dinner as usual”. The contribution of livestock to global greenhouse emissions is estimated at between 14.5 – 18%. Fortunately, there are companies who are tackling this challenge head on and looking at how emissions from food production can be reduced. With consumer interest increasing in alternatives to meat and other protein sources, we’ve spoken to the founders of three companies. From the seemingly futuristic to the rediscovery of superfood trees, each company tackles this new drive in consumer interest in different ways.

Solar Foods, Finland

Dr Pasi Vainnika is the CEO and co-founder of Solar Foods. The slogan of the company is “Food out of thin air”. Pasi was formerly in charge of the single largest renewable energy program in Finland. However, when he found out that 20-25% of the emissions come from food, he realized that emissions from this sector needed to be addressed, as well as those in the energy sector. But with the growth in affordable and renewable energy – particularly solar energy– it led him and his team to question the possibility of producing food solely from energy, carbon dioxide, and water. It turns out, the answer is yes. Solein is a unique single cell protein. It is produced using a fully natural fermentation process like that of the production of yeast or lactic acid bacteria. The powder, which is produced from the process, is 50% protein, 5-10% fat and 20-25% carbohydrate. Most likely, the first product to reach the consumer market will be a replacement in existing plant-based foods. For example, using Solein in shakes or as an alternative to dairy in milks, yogurts, and even in breads and pasta. In the future, a lasagna could include the protein in all aspects of the recipe: the sauce, in the pasta sheets, and in the filling. Further into the future, there is also the possibility that it could be used as the basis for cultured meat production.
In the Photo: Solein Can be used in smoothies as a protein alternative. Photo Credit: Shawn Fields - Unsplash
To produce a kilo of the protein powder takes 10 liters of water in comparison to the 2500 liters of water for a kilo of soy or 15,500 liters for a kilo of beef. Electricity is the main raw material, and the plan is to source this from renewable energy sources. Additionally, Solein binds carbon dioxide rather than emitting it, easing pressure on land use. The product is currently going through regulatory checks and testing at the moment, with a plan to launch in 2021. NASA and the Soviet Union space programs had started to investigate in similar protein production for their expeditions in the past, but Solar Foods has brought it down to earth.

Higher Steaks, United Kingdom

Whilst some people are switching to plant-based diets and others have reduced their meat consumption, some others still want to keep meat in their diets but are looking for more environmentally friendly options. This is where lab-based meat comes in. Benjamina Bollag, CEO and co-founder of Higher Steaks, a UK-based company, believes that it is important to provide alternatives to meat with a lower carbon footprint, but that taste as close as possible to the real thing. She believes that the change required in human behavior to cut emissions will not happen fast enough otherwise. This approach is confirmed by research they have conducted. 52% of respondents confirmed that they would switch from conventional meat to the Higher Steaks alternative, with 21% saying they would prefer a plant-based diet. There are different ways of producing lab-based meat. The process that Higher Steaks is developing is based on pluripotent stem cells, which are taken from a small skin patch or blood sample. The meat that is grown is then shaped into products. Currently, Higher Steaks is working primarily on pork products.
In Photo: Higher Steaks will eventually release pork as its first lab-cultured meat. Photo Credit: Yvonne Lee Harijanto - Unsplash
The company has yet to conduct a lifecycle assessment of the lab-grown meat, but given the high levels of environmental impact from meat production, it should be safe to say that Higher Steaks products will be more sustainable. In addition, as Benjamina explains, other advantages include the avoidance of antibiotic use, resulting in a product which is better for the consumer as well. The level of fat can also be adjusted, depending on consumer preference. The company is working to have the first products in shops within 3-5 years.

Barukas, Brazil

Barukas proves that you don’t always to have to look to the future for more sustainable food sources. Sometimes it is about rediscovering and making available a food source which has been around for a long time to a wider audience. The baruzeiro tree, native to Brazil, has been a long-time source of nutrition for people living in the Cerrado, the vast savannah at the heart of Brazil. The tree produces a fruit, which contains the baru nut. It was the nutritional profile of the baru nut that initially attracted Seth Tuckerman, who had formerly been the COO of Beachbody, a fitness business. The nuts are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and are lower in fat than typical nuts. The taste is often described as a cross between peanuts and almonds. In fact, Tuckerman’s immediate thought on tasting them was “low calorie almonds”. Tuckerman’s passion is not only about the positive health benefits, but also about the trees and the mutual benefits for the communities where they grew.
In Photo: Baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas
Tuckerman became a co-founder of Barukas Incorporated. They are on a mission to plant 20 million baruzeiro trees – as a start. The trees need little water and – as native trees – they are already ideally suited to the Cerrado conditions. First, Barukas must prove that there is a market for the fruit of the existing trees. As such, the company is encouraging those living in the Cerrado to collect the nuts by guaranteeing to buy them, then creating customer demand for the nuts. Collecting the fruit from existing trees helps to preserve them from being cleared for intensive and invasive agricultural methods such as soy plantations. Likewise, planting new trees helps to reverse the deforestation of Cerrado. A report by the Climate Observatory estimated that the destruction of surface vegetation in the Cerrado released 248 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2016. This is roughly two-and-half times the annual tailpipe emissions from all cars in Brazil.
In Photo: Closer look at the baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas.
From talking with these three pioneers, it is now clearer than ever that we need multiple solutions to address how to sustainably feed a growing population. We need to cut the carbon emissions and reduce other environmental impacts such as water and land use associated with food production. Some of these solutions are a little way off in the future, but others are available now. We are what we eat, but our choices will increasingly determine what kind of future we will live in as well.   EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com.
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