- R99 -

A CHILD BRIDE Gender discrimination is embedded in the legal system and social structures and that along with poverty is the root cause of child marriages. Every year 4 million girls under the age of 15 are victims of child underage and forced marriages in South Asia. This illegal practice robs them of their rights to education their reproductive rights and consensual marriage. Once married as children the child brides are victims of lifelong servitude domestic violence pregnancy complications and death through early childbirth.