Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
London (Agenzia Fides) - All over the world more than 700 million women were forced to marry when they were still children, of these 250 million (35.7%) before the age of 15. This is what was stated by the United Nations Children’s Fund during the celebration of the first Summit on Children, which takes place in London, adding that girls who marry before 18 years of age are more likely to leave school and suffer domestic violence. In addition, younger adolescents are at greater risk of dying due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth than those who are more than 20 years old, and their children are more likely to be born dead or die in the first month of life. According to UNICEF, in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East more than 130 million girls and women have undergone some form of genital mutilation. The goal is to be able to give the necessary support to eradicate the two phenomena which deprive women of their dignity. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 24/07/2014)
