Atage11Ghulamwasmarriedoffto40-year-oldJaizinaruralAfghanvillagemakingheronlyoneofmorethan10millionyounggirlswhoarebeingforcedtowedmenoldenoughtobetheirfathersofgrandfathereveryyear.

Inanefforttostartaglobalconversationaboutthedevastatingeffectsofearlymarriageswhicharecurrentlypracticedinmorethan50developingcountriestheUnitedNationsdesignedOctober11asInternationalDayoftheGirlChildthisyear.

Althoughchildmarriageisagainstthelawinmanycountriesandinternationaltreatiesforbidthepracticeitisestimatedthatabout51milliongirlsbelowage18arecurrentlymarriedoftenunderthecoverofdarknessandinsecret.InAfghanistanaloneitisbelievedthatapproximately57percentofgirlswedbeforethelegalageof16.

Variousfactorsdriveparentsofchildbridgestomarryofftheirdaughtersfromthecommunity’spressuretoconfirmtoage-oldculturalcustomstoeconomicconsiderations.Inpoordevelopingnationsitisnotuncommonforfamiliestosettledebtsbyofferingtheirdaughtersaspayment.

Expertsagreethatearlymarriagedeniesthegirleducationandrobsthemoftheirchildhoodbecausemostyoungwivesburdenedbygrownupresponsibilitiesdonotgetachancetointeractwiththeirpeersorcarryonfriendshipsoutsidethehousehold.Inmanycasesthegirlsarelordedoverbytheirhusbandsandin-lawsleavingthemvulnerable(易受伤害的)todomesticviolenceaswellasphysicalsexualandverbalabuse.Underagewiveswhoareluckyenoughtoescapefromtheirhusbandsenduplivinginpovertyorworse.Mostgirlswhoenterearlymarriagesareexpectedtogetpregnantrightawaywhichoftenleadstotragedyforboththemotherswhoarestillchildrenthemselvesandtheirbabies.

Unlessinternationalorganizationstakestepstoreversethetroublingtrenditisestimatedthatoverthenextdecade100millionmoregirls—orabout25000girlsaday---willmarrybeforetheyturn18.

Tolearnmoreaboutcampaigntoendthepracticeofearlymarriagespleaseclick:TooYoungToWed

1.Thepurposeofthefirstparagraphisto_________

A.attractreaders’attention

B.introducethefollowingtopic

C.listthecountriespracticingearlymarriages