Janine Kossen, Director, Public Policy 

October 11 marks the first-ever International Day of the Girl, recognized by the United Nations, governments, communities, and girls around the world! The Day of the Girl is about highlighting, celebrating, discussing, and advancing young women's and girls' lives and opportunities across the globe. This year, the international community is coming together to commit to ending child marriage.

While young women and girls are change-agents in their local, national, and global communities, they also face unique challenges to fulfilling their leadership potentialchallenges such as early and forced marriage. Every three seconds, a girl under the age of 18 becomes a child bride. One in seven girls will be forced to marry by the age of 15. And, if child marriage continues at its current rate, 100 million more girls will be married in the next decade. 

Ask Secretary Clinton to help stop child marriage! 

Child marriage robs girls of a chance to get an education and escape poverty. It also has negative health impacts, including increased risk of complications from pregnancy and childbirth, likelihood of experiencing violence, and vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Simply put, child marriage is a human rights violation. 

We need the U.S. government to commit to ending child marriage. Join us in calling on Secretary Clinton to increase political and financial commitments so we can work to end child marriage and support married adolescents. 

Take action today to help end child marriage! 

All young women and girls have the right to freely decide if, when, and whom they choose to marry. Take a stand on International Day of the Girl and join the global movement to end child marriage!