Monday photo: the danger for child brides

Jenner Pascua is a production officer for unicefusa.org

Last week Sigrid Kaag, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, released a statement about the recent death of a 12-year-old Yemeni girl.

"The death of Elham Mahdi al-Assi from internal bleeding following intercourse, three days after she was married off to a man at least twice her age, is a painful reminder of the risks girls face when they are married too soon."

This heart-breaking news reminded me of a recent photo essay UNICEF released in January. This week's photo shows a young bride from Bangladesh.

UNICEF/NYHQ2009-2317/Md. Ilias Mia

Bangladesh - Thirteen-year-old Tania, who is pregnant, carries a small jar outside her home, in the south-western district of Barguna in Barisal Division. Tania was married at age 10, an arrangement made by her parents when she was just a year old. Despite her pregnancy, she has many household tasks. She advises against marrying at too early an age.

Jenner Pascua is a production officer for unicefusa.org

Last week Sigrid Kaag, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, released a statement about the recent death of a 12-year-old Yemeni girl.

"The death of Elham Mahdi al-Assi from internal bleeding following intercourse, three days after she was married off to a man at least twice her age, is a painful reminder of the risks girls face when they are married too soon."

This heart-breaking news brought to mind this photo of a young bride from Bangladesh who was featured in a UNICEF photo essay in January.

UNICEF/NYHQ2009-2317/Md. Ilias Mia

Thirteen-year-old Tania was married at age ten in an arrangement made by her parents when she was just a year old. Despite her pregnancy, she has many household tasks. She advises against marrying at too early an age.

This is one in a series of photos from a UNICEF-supported photography workshop for 30 adolescents who live in remote rural communities in Bangladesh. The goal of the workshop was to support adolescents' right to expression. Some of the subjects featured are child brides who could not participate in the workshop since they were no longer in school.

Kaag echoes the problem: "Early marriage places girls at increased risk of dropping out of school, being exposed to violence, abuse and exploitation, and even losing their lives from pregnancy, childbirth and other complications.

"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the right to free and full consent to marriage. But when either party to a marriage is too young to make an informed decision, such consent is neither free nor full.

"Laws setting a reasonable minimum age for marriage need to be passed and implemented as a first step in the fight against this harmful practice."