"I was jogging but my feet froze when I saw her." That's what one bystander in Lebanon said upon seeing a young girl in a wedding dress posing with what appeared to be a groom old enough to be her grandfather. This shocked reaction was one of many captured in a video released this week by Lebanese women's rights organization Kafa -- a video that also shows a few pedestrians stopping to congratulate the man on his marriage. For four years, Kafa has been campaigning against Lebanon's reservations to adopting Article 16 of the United Nations' 1979 Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which protects women's and girls' choice in marriage. Article 16 of CEDAW mandates that countries grant men and women equal rights to choose their spouse, enter into marriage and manage familial affairs. The photo shoot -- and resulting video -- was a social experiment Kafa staged to gauge Lebanese people's attitudes toward child marriage. "Kafa" is the Arabic word for "enough."

Six percent of Lebanese girls are married by the time they turn 18, and 1 percent by age 15, UNICEF reported last year. Across the world, 15 million girls are married each year before their 18th birthday. Currently, Lebanon's legal age for marriage without parental consent is 17 for girls and 18 for boys, The Independent reported in July. Purple Drape On The CrossWith parental consent, however, girls as young as 9 can legally get married in the country, according to the World Policy Center, which collected data from resources including legal databases.Sage Green And Brown Queen Comforter Set Lebanon said last year that it was working on a draft law to regulate child marriages, but that religious authorities could still exempt families from marriage laws. Wedding Dress Rental Germany

Different religious communities in Lebanon have varying laws on marriage and personal status, according to global rights organization Girls Not Brides. Child brides are more susceptible to sexual abuse and domestic violence, reports the World Health Organization. Babies born to mothers under 20 years old are 50 percent more likely to die within a few weeks of birth than babies born to mothers in their 20s, Girls Not Brides noted, and girls under 15 are five times more likely to die in childbirth than women between 20 and 24. Child Marriage Child Bride Lebanon Worldpost Middle EastIt’s not every day you see a 12-year-old posing for wedding photos with a 65-year-old man in the middle of a city.New Yorkers walking through Times Square were in for a shock when they spotted a young girl in a wedding dress beside a man more than five times her age.Their disgust is palpable. “How old are you sweetheart?” one passerby asks repeatedly.“Are you f**king kidding me?”The groom insists “I have the permission of the parents,” but the people walking by are not prepared to settle for this. 

Several threaten to call the police, and one man actively breaks the couple apart to take the girl to the authorities.The video stunt was orchestrated by YouTuber Coby Persin to shed light on the prevalence of child marriage across the world.Every year, 15 million girls are married as children. While a 12-year-old bride is not an everyday sight in New York, 76% of married women in Niger are married before their 18th birthday.And in Lebanon, 1 in 100 people are married before their 15th birthday. A similar video organised by KAFA, a Lebanese pressure group seeking to end violence and exploitation against women, highlights the varying attitudes towards child marriage in the region. The problem of child marriage in Lebanon has been exacerbated by the refugee crisis, with 6% of Syrian refugee girls getting married in the country before they turn 18 as parents see no other option for their daughters.Denied agency over their own futures and the chance to create a life for themselves, child brides often lose their right to education.

They are left disempowered from a young age, with their livelihoods entirely dependent on their husbands. Forced to conceive children whilst they themselves are still children, they are more likely to suffer complications during pregnancy. If a mother is under 18 when she gives birth, her child’s risk of dying in its first year of life is 60% higher than a child born to a mother over 19. Ending child marriage is crucial to empowering women and girls around the world. It’s powerful to see ordinary citizens refusing to stand by, actively intervening to protect a child’s innocence. The film brings a global violation of human rights down to a local level - a reminder of the struggle thousands of girls face each day. Now is the time for global citizens everywhere to intervene on behalf of all girls in similar situations.Female sex pill maker tries again for federal approvalWin Your Wedding Gown BOGO 50% Off Bras, Slips & Lingerie > New from Truly Zac Posen Buy one, get one 50% off regular price shoes

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