The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is running a campaign on Twitter today, Tuesday, June 16, 2015 that highlights the horrors of child marriage by telling the stories of former child brides.
Young people taking over the @UNICEF Twitter account? Whuuut? YES – HAPPENING NOW! #youthtakeover pic.twitter.com/YGhhPAWzS0
— Voices of Youth (@voicesofyouth) June 16, 2015
UNICEF ‘works for children’s rights, survival, development and protection’ and is a leading United Nations agency. Using its Twitter handle, @UNICEF, the agency tells the story of 5 child brides and the pain and horror of being forced into marriage when all they wanted to do was go to school.
“5 activists are taking over our account to#endchildmarriage! The views in this#youthtakeover are those of the activists, and not necessarily of UNICEF,” the UN agency describes the campaign. Visit the UNICEF handle to view all tweets.
We share below striking messages from the campaign.
At 8 months pregnant, Fatima set herself on fire – trying to commit suicide to escape the misery #endchildmarriage pic.twitter.com/8pBo21hc4U
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) June 16, 2015
After several attempts to run away, I was kidnapped by his cousins in the streets on my way to school #youthtakeover
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) June 16, 2015
I was terrified. Marriage to the man was a nightmare. He beat and raped me constantly and I was forbidden to attend school #endchildmarriage
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) June 16, 2015
When I asked him about going to school he simply answered, “Girls are not made for school here!” #youthtakeover
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) June 16, 2015
When I was 11, 2 girls from class got married. I wasn’t shocked back then. They were pretty educated for their age I was told #youthtakeover
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) June 16, 2015
