International Protecting Girls By Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2010
Floor Speech
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Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act.
Child marriage is an international epidemic, with 100 million girls projected to marry in the next decade.
Not only do these young girls lose the opportunity to achieve their full potential, but they also are at risk for serious health consequences. Childbirth is five times more deadly for girls under 15 than for women in their twenties, and pregnancy is the most common cause of death for girls between the age of 15 and 19.
HIV/AIDS is another serious risk for child brides, as they frequently marry more sexually experienced men. In many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, girls under the age of 19 are more than twice as likely to contract HIV as boys of the same age.
Young girls frequently experience trauma and violence in these marriages.
A front page article in The New York Times on November 7, 2010 told the story of Farzana, a young girl living in Afghanistan.
Although she dreamed of being a teacher, Farzana was engaged at age 8 and married four years later. Her husband beat her for the first time on her wedding day, and the beatings continued for four years. She was forbidden to see her mother.
Farzana tells us, ``I thought of running away from that house, but then I thought: what will happen to the name of my family? No one in our family has asked for divorce. So how can I be the first?''
Left with few choices, Farzana set herself on fire. After burning half her body, she lived--but only after 57 days in the hospital and multiple surgeries.
Farzana's dream of becoming a teacher was killed by a premature marriage.
She--and millions of others like her--deserve better.
The bill that we are considering today will help realize the dreams of many young girls like Farzana by expanding assistance to prevent child marriage and empower girls around the world.
Young girls everywhere deserve the opportunity to make their own decisions and determine their own destiny.
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