The United Nations is calling for greater efforts worldwide to protect girls from early marriage.
On October 11, a group of UN organizations denounced child marriages as "a fundamental violation of human rights" that has an impact on "all aspects of a girl's life."
In their statement, which marks the first International Day of the Girl Child, the organizations said child brides are often subjected to domestic servitude and sexual slavery and suffer from violations to their right to health and education.
In Kabul, the UN's special representative for Afghanistan, Jan Kubis, also urged Afghanistan to do more to combat child marriages.
Child marriages take place in every region of the world and cuts across cultures, religions, and ethnicities.
Every year, an estimated 10 million girls worldwide are married before they reach 18 years.
On October 11, a group of UN organizations denounced child marriages as "a fundamental violation of human rights" that has an impact on "all aspects of a girl's life."
In their statement, which marks the first International Day of the Girl Child, the organizations said child brides are often subjected to domestic servitude and sexual slavery and suffer from violations to their right to health and education.
In Kabul, the UN's special representative for Afghanistan, Jan Kubis, also urged Afghanistan to do more to combat child marriages.
Child marriages take place in every region of the world and cuts across cultures, religions, and ethnicities.
Every year, an estimated 10 million girls worldwide are married before they reach 18 years.