Every minute around the world, 28 underage girls are forced into marriage. That's 12 million girls whose childhoods are cut short every year.

Child marriage is one of the most widespread yet underreported human rights violations of our time, and it’s an issue that hits close to home for Akec Makur Chuot.

Akec was born in South Sudan and came to Australia from a Kenyan refugee camp in 2005, aged 12. While she was in Australia training to become a future AFLW player, her 15-year-old sister in South Sudan was forced to marry an older man.

Now, Akec is using her platform as an ambassador for Plan International Australia to drive change and make the world a safer place for young women. She sat down with TDA for International Day of the Girl to shed light on this important issue.

Child, early and forced marriage and unions (CEFMU) refers to any formal or informal union where one or both people are under 18. While it can affect boys, girls are disproportionately impacted, making up the vast majority of child brides globally.

650 million women and girls alive today were married before their 18th birthday. The practice spans multiple continents and cultures, though it's most prevalent in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.

According to Plan International, “deep-rooted patriarchal norms devalue girls and prioritise marriage over education, with girls out of school being significantly more likely to be married early.”

For former AFLW player, commentator, and Plan International Australia Ambassador Akec Makur Chuot, child marriage has “had a really big, profound impact” on her immediate family and her community.

Understanding why child marriage persists requires looking at the complex web of factors that sustain it. Gender inequality sits at the heart of the issue. In some societies, marriage is still perceived as a girl’s most important achievement.

When communities are displaced by war, natural disasters, or other instability, some see early marriage as a way to protect their daughters.

Poverty, crisis and conflict play a crucial role in the prevalence of CEFMU. Marrying off a daughter may be seen as a way to reduce financial burdens, as girls are commodified as a survival strategy for families or communities facing desperate conditions.

Akec told TDA poverty is a significant factor in child marriage.

“In South Sudan in particular, child marriage is seen as a door for families, to use the dowry they receive from the husband’s side of the family. Dowries essentially contribute to the economy of the family,” Akec said.

Deep-rooted social norms also contribute to the practice.

“A lot of the time, it’s a lack of education,” Akec said.

“A lot of society and cultures and beliefs are still stuck in that mindset of, a girl child is not important, and they’ll choose for her.”

Akec told TDA this has motivated her to challenge these perceptions and fight for change.

The consequences of child marriage ripple through entire generations. 

For Akec, it had an immediate impact on her family.

“When I was 21, my sister was married off very young. She was 15 at the time… [At] 21, I was not ready to be a wife. I knew that. Imagine that at 21, let alone my 15-year-old sister.”  

Child brides are more likely to experience domestic violence and less likely to remain in school. Early pregnancy poses serious health risks. Complications during pregnancy and birth are the leading cause of death for girls aged 15-19 globally.

The psychological impact can be profound. Many child brides experience depression, anxiety, and isolation, cut off from friends and family support networks.

“Young girls that are forcefully married off at that young age, all they have is trauma, and a trauma that follows them for the rest of their lives,” Akec said.  

Akec has worked to channel her anger about forced marriage into advocacy, using her platform to amplify the voices of girls all over the world.

Ending child marriage requires addressing its root causes. 

Akec told TDA change requires investing in girls’ education and efforts to break the cycle of poverty. 

Change also requires work within communities to address and shift attitudes.

“I want everyone to be an advocate… [it’s not just] ‘my daughter’. No, it’s our daughter. Our sisters. Our friends,” Akec said.  

Social media, activism, and global connectivity create new pathways to educate the world for change. By understanding child marriage as a human rights issue, Akec is calling on young people to be the generation to end this harmful practice.

“We are part of shaping the future for ourselves… If we can save those young people [in forced marriages], they become a part of us and their futures are realised.” 

Change is happening, but at the current pace, it will take 300 years to eliminate child marriage entirely. 

“How do we have a better world when only a small minority of us are able to chase our dreams? When the majority of our young girls in particular are not being looked after?” Akec said. 

“Young people are the future and young girls are the future, but young girls are being left behind. We need to advocate for them to bring them along.” 

Every year, 12 million girls are forced into marriage before they’re ready – that’s one girl every three seconds

But girls aren’t just waiting for change – they’re staying in school, speaking out, and reshaping their communities.

This International Day of the Girl, we can break the barriers holding girls back and help them choose their own path. Donate today and be part of a future where every girl gets to rise.