https://www.scmp.com/rss/322758/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Child marriage is an abuse of human rights. It deprives girls of their fundamental rights to health and education, and forces them into a life of poor prospects. Despite being prohibited by international law, the practice remains widespread. Each year, 15 million girls are married before the age of 18, or one every two seconds. In August, I visited Ha Giang, Vietnam, where nearly half of the girls are child brides, due to poverty and social norms. I met Bang, a 16-year-old mother of two, a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2114482/child-brides-are-victims-rights-abuse-and-world-must-put?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2114482/child-brides-are-victims-rights-abuse-and-world-must-put?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Oct 2017 04:13:15 +0000 Child marriage is a violation of human rights and detrimental to a girl’s development. For centuries, child marriage has robbed millions of girls of their rights to education, a healthy childhood and their power to escape poverty. In late August, I visited some child brides in Cambodia and witnessed the damaging outcomes of child marriage. Eighteen-year-old Sanuth told me her story in tears. Sanuth dropped out of school and got married at 16, to build a better livelihood for the family and send... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2026692/how-child-brides-represent-violence-against-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2026692/how-child-brides-represent-violence-against-humanity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Oct 2016 06:24:01 +0000 June 12 is the World Day Against Child Labour, an occasion to focus on the heart-rending situations facing millions of working children worldwide. Globally, 400 million children are living on less than HK$10 a day, and 168 million give up school to earn a living. Death of boy, 15, prompts crackdown on child labour in southern Chinese province Earlier this year, I visited India and witnessed the harm of child labour. Children picking rags for a living are a common sight in Delhi. Due to poor... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1969280/ending-child-labour-requires-collaboration-and-patient-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1969280/ending-child-labour-requires-collaboration-and-patient-work?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jun 2016 04:59:17 +0000