She is Worthy
You can help end forced marriage
And help protect Lalita's childhood.
Photo credit: Anurag Banerjee
Childhood is precious. Let's protect hers.
Each year, 12 million girls globally are married before their 18th birthday.
This used to be known as ‘child marriage’ but is now known as ‘forced marriage’, acknowledging that it is never legitimite for a child to marry.
Sound the alarm and be a champion for girls.
#SheIsWorthy
Time left to give
We have stopped the forced marriage of 2,300 girls in Bangladesh.
We have also seen forced marriage decrease by 26% in the African communities we partner with.
We do this by running education and empowerment workshops to show that She Is Worthy beyond domestic life.
She can go to school.
She can farm.
She can run a business.
She can be a leader.
If you believe that She is Worthy, become a champion for girls like Bharti.
"They should see me as a girl who can do anything."
Geeta Devi had to leave school as a child because she was married at fifteen. She says that girls are considered a burden in their homes; she aims to change this notion, starting with her own daughters.
"I am poor financially but not mentally. I want my daughters to have the same opportunites as my sons and I have ensured this is my home by educating my daughters. I have spoken with the families of more that forty girls in my Panchayat, convincing them to re-enrol their girls in school and provide them proper nourishment."Geeta Devi,
Elected Women Representative,
Makhdumpur Kodariya, Bihar, India
Priyanka recently embarked on a journey across North India, travelling to Rajasthan with 25 girls from Bihar, on a trip organised by The Hunger Project India (See more about the #GirlsChangeTracks trip here). She is now back at school and about to complete 10th grade.
"I had left school for almost four years, but after the #GirlsChangeTracks trip, I insisted that I want to study again. Now I am about to finish high school"Priyanka,
17 years,
India
Pancha Devi is a first time EWR. She got married between the age of 11-12 and had her first child at 16.
"I am uneducated but I understand the grave situation. People ask me what am I doing with my life? I tell them I am improving the lives of these girls and ensuring that what happened to me does not happen to any of them"Pancha Devi,
Elected Women Representative,
Mahapur, Bihar, India
Shanmati Devi was married at seventeen. Her biggest focus now is raising awareness about how bad child marriage is for the wellbeing of adolescent girls.
"I talk to the girls in my village, informing them about their rights. Two girls reached out to me, asking me to talk to their parents and stop their parents and stop their marriages. I went to their houses and explained to their families that child marraige is a crime. I managed to convince them. This is one of my greatest successes, that I managed to save those two girls."
Shanmati Devi,
Elected Women Representative,
Yamnunapur Tarwalia, Bihar, India
Shakuntala Devi was married at thirteen and has six children. She has ensured that her daughters are educated, so that they can be self-reliant.
"The biggest focus for me is Education. My aim is to educate all the girls in my village. This is the only way we can truly stop Forced Marriage, if we educate and empower adolescent girls"
Shakuntala Devi,
Elected Women Representative,
Malipokhar Bhinda, Bihar, India
Dharamsheela Devi is currently in her third tem as an Elected Woman Representative. According to her, she has only been able to succeed because she was able to gain the trust of the residents of her Panchayat.
"I have ended Child Marriage in my Panchayat"
Dharamsheela Devi,
President of Chitauli Panchayat,
Rohtas District, Bihar, India
Deepmala reaches out to her friends and teaches them about child marriage. When she grows up, she wants to become an officer in the Bihar Police Force.
"My friend told me that her parents were forcing her to get married. I told her to say no. Her mother came to my house and complained to my mother. She said they are going ahead with the marriage. After that, I took help from the Elected Woman Representative (EWR) in my village and my friends from the Sukanya Club, Jyoti and Amrita. We went together and stopped the marriage."
Deepmala,
14 years
India
Sukanya Clubs provide a safe space for adolescent girls in Panchayats, encouraging them to connect, form friendships and providing an enabling environment for learning and raising awareness.
"We try to educate girls about Child Marriage in our village. If someone tries to stop us, we tell them, ‘This is our right, you can’t stop us"
Jyoti (14), Muskaan (14), Khushi (15), Anupriya (14), Angoori (16), and Kajal (14)
Girls who met at their local Sukyana Club
Bihar, India
Share this page
Photo Credit: Anurag Banerjee
