Michelle Obama, Amal Clooney, and Melinda French Gates are determined to put an end to child marriage within a generation, according to a report from BBC News.
Last year, these three influential women announced a collaboration to combat child marriage through their respective foundations. Michelle Obama expressed her optimism, telling BBC News that it is an issue that can be solved tomorrow, despite the UN’s warning that child marriage is not expected to be eradicated for another 300 years at the current rate of progress.
The women spoke exclusively to BBC 100 Women during their visit to Malawi and South Africa. During a visit to a secondary school in Malawi, 26-year-old Lucy shared her emotional story, highlighting the importance of girls staying in school and avoiding marriage to older men. With a child marriage rate of 42% for girls by the age of 18, Malawi exemplifies the urgency of the issue.
Lucy’s determination to receive an education resonated with the former First Lady of the US, Michelle Obama, who encouraged her and expressed her pride. The international human rights barrister, Amal Clooney, also lent her support to Lucy, showing how the collaboration of the three women creates a powerful message of solidarity and hope.
The foundation of Michelle Obama, Girls Opportunity Alliance, focuses on the issue of girls leaving school due to pregnancy and teenage marriage, while Amal Clooney works to ensure girls in rural areas are aware of their rights. Melinda French Gates has also been involved in projects to improve healthcare, supporting the issues surrounding child marriage.
By working together, these women believe they can be more effective in combating this critical problem. Melinda French Gates emphasized the importance of women working in collectives, which led to their strategic decision to collaborate.
The visit to Malawi has led to positive outcomes, with President Lazarus Chakwera announcing further funding for a national strategy to end child marriage. Furthermore, Amal Clooney is actively working to increase outreach and provide legal aid to girls in rural areas with the aim to protect their rights and combat injustices.
Mrs. Obama emphasized that this is an urgent issue requiring immediate attention, and that world leaders need to make it a priority in order to bring about change. Despite UNICEF’s estimation of 300 years to eliminate child marriage, the three women believe that if prioritized, the issue could see significant improvement within less than a generation.
The collaboration between Michelle Obama, Amal Clooney, and Melinda French Gates demonstrates a strong and determined front in the fight against child marriage, and the women have expressed their commitment to supporting grassroots organizations that have been working tirelessly to address this issue.
Join the conversation using #BBC100Women – BBC 100 Women names 100 inspiring and influential women around the world every year. Follow BBC 100 Women on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on their impactful work.
