Stop the Weddings: Pray with us

Child marriage—marriage before the age of 18, including informal unions—is an injustice and a violation of children’s rights. Yet, despite being illegal in many countries, it remains widespread across the world. And it’s getting worse.  

More than 100 million girls were expected to become child brides in the next decade.  

Now, according to UNICEF, up to 10 million more girls will be at risk as a direct result of the pandemic.

That’s equivalent to every child at school in the UK.  

Girls under 18 who marry are more likely to leave school, experience domestic violence, and die due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.

The situation facing millions of girls is desperate, but not definite.  

Compassion’s response to child marriage

As a ministry, we believe child marriage is an injustice and should be stopped. Here are the following ways we’re working to stop the weddings; 

1. By praying. Committing the injustice of child marriage to the Lord and praying for this harmful practice to be ended for vulnerable girls globally. We believe God can bring real and lasting change.

2.  By elevating the voice of girls. We’re working with teenage activists from our Compassion projects to raise awareness of this issue and asking others to share the message too.

3.  By fundraising for child marriage prevention workshops in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has the highest rate of marriage in under 15s globally. 1 in 2 young Bangladeshi women are married as children. Funds will train 80 Compassion staff and 144 parents and caregivers of Compassion-supported children to deliver community-based workshops on the dangers of child marriage. 

4. Finally, by highlighting how sponsoring a girl provides child protection, education, and vital support for herself and her family. 

How you can pray about child marriage

We would greatly appreciate your prayers.  

Please pray:  

• For girls at risk of child marriage. May God protect them, and their rights be recognised. 

• For an end to extreme poverty globally. Poverty is closely linked with child marriage.

• For our Compassion projects and local partners around the world where child marriage is prevalent. Please pray that our work will be effective in alleviating poverty and delivering education to girls, two key factors in preventing child marriage. 

• For the teams and individuals working relentlessly to protect children and educate communities about the harm of child marriage. May their work be effective and transformative.  

If you’d like to learn more about this issue facing girls and find out how you can get involved, please visit our #StopTheWeddings campaign page.