Dreaming of a better life: child marriage through adolescent eyes

Abstract

Putting an end to the practice of child marriage became an international commitment_x000D_ under Sustainable Development Goal 5 that focuses on empowering girls and_x000D_ women worldwide. Dreaming of a Better Life: Child Marriage Through Adolescent_x000D_ Eyes offers fresh insights and evidence to inform these efforts, based on fi ndings_x000D_ from research and intervention projects funded by Canada’s International_x000D_ Development Research Centre (IDRC) to investigate different aspects of child_x000D_ marriage. Spanning rural and urban settings across Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire,_x000D_ India, Mali, Niger, Pakistan, Peru, Senegal, Togo and Zambia, the chapters address_x000D_ themes such as adolescent girls’ agency and roles in marital decision-making,_x000D_ teenage motherhood, sexual and gender-based violence against children, and_x000D_ lessons learned from trying to infl uence policies and implement programmes to_x000D_ reduce child marriage. The short chapters, and mix of photo, visual, interview and_x000D_ traditional reporting formats, are designed to appeal to policymakers in their national_x000D_ contexts, as well as resonate with others committed to supporting and empowering_x000D_ marginalised children and young people everywhere.