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AFRICAN UNION
MEDIA ADVISORY
Working Breakfast of African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government and
African First Ladies on Ending Child Marriage in Africa at the 24th Ordinary Session
of the Assembly, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
“Accelerating efforts at ending child marriage”
WHAT:
Working Breakfast of AU Heads of State and Government and African First Ladies on
the AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa on accelerating efforts at ending
child marriage in the context of the African Union Campaign to End Child Marriage
in Africa as well as the Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards
Africa’s Agenda 2063.
WHEN:
Friday, 30 January 2015, from 08:00AM to 09:00AM
WHERE:
Courtyard, Old AU Conference Center, African Union Commission Headquarters,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
WHO:
Hosted by His Excellency, the President of Chad, Mr. Idriss Deby Itno and the First
Lady of Chad, Mme Hinda Deby Itno
WHY:
Child marriage undermines development efforts. The girl child, the society and
countries continue suffer the consequences of child marriage. Aspirations for
Africa’s development remains wishful if the girl child is not prioritize by ensuring
that they are kept longer in school and not married off while they are still girls. The
cost of girls dropping out of school — as almost all child brides do, reduce their
future earning power with attendant consequences on their empowerment and the
socio-economic development of the continent..
TAKING PART: Other speakers at the event are:
1. H.E. Ato Hailemariam Dessalegn, The Prime Minister of Ethiopia
2. H.E. Mr. Ban Ki Moon, The United nations Secretary General
3. H.E. Dr. Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko, Commissioner for Social Affairs, African Union
Commission
There will be testimonies from survivors of child marriage
BACKGROUND:
Child marriage is a harmful practice which severely affects the rights of a child and further
deprives the child from attaining other aspirations like education. Every year, about 14 million
adolescent and teen girls are married, almost always forced into the arrangement by their parents.
In developing countries, one in three girls is married by age 18; and one in nine by age 15. If the
present trends continue, by 2030, the number of child brides marrying each year would have
grown more than 14% annually from 14.2 in 2010 to 15.1 million.
A continental campaign to invigorate the movement towards ending child marriage in Africa was
launched by the African Union Commission in May 2014. Given the socio-economic and cultural
context within which child marriage occurs, the AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa
focuses on; ending child marriage by supporting policy action in the protection and promotion of
human rights; mobilizing continental awareness of child marriage; removing barriers and
bottlenecks to law enforcement.
For media inquiries and requests contact:
Ms. Nena Thundu, [email protected]
Mr. Kenneth Oliko, [email protected]
Ms. Sonia Ndimbira, [email protected]