International Women's Health Coalition - International Women's Health Coalition :: Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission To Hold Hearing On Dire Impact Of Child Marriage

Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission To Hold Hearing On Dire Impact Of Child Marriage

July 13, 2010—Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission will hold a hearing on the causes and consequences of child marriage, focusing on actions governments, nongovernmental organizations and United Nations agencies can take to end the harmful practice.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday July 13, 2010

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Kelly Castagnaro, International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC), 212-979-8500 kcastagnaro@iwhc.org
Julie Bernstein, CARE, 202-595-2832, jbernstein@care.org
Claire Hunte, International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), 202-742-1256, chunte@icrw.org

Ambassador Melanne Verveer, NGO Experts to Testify on Practicethat Affects 60 Million Girls Globally Under Age 18

WHO:

Ambassador Melanne Verveer, U.S. Dept. of State, Office of Global Women's Issues

Francesca Moneti, UNICEF, Senior Child Protection Specialist

Anju Malhotra, ICRW, Vice President of Research, Innovation and Impact

Kakenya Ntaiya, Kakenya Center for Excellence, Founder

Stephanie Baric, CARE USA, Senior Technical Adviser

WHAT:

Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission will hold a hearing on the causes and consequences of child marriage, focusing on actions governments, nongovernmental organizations and United Nations agencies can take to end the harmful practice. The hearing also will encourage legislators to pass the International Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2009 (S.987/H.R. 2103) this year.

Child marriage has negative consequences for the health of girls, contributes to cyclical poverty and reduced economic opportunity for women, and has a devastating impact on the entire community. Girls between the ages of 10 and 14 are five times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth than women ages 20 to 24. Complications related to childbirth and pregnancy is the leading cause of death worldwide for girls ages 15 to 19. In addition, early marriage is a risk factor for domestic violence, higher rates of maternal and/or infant mortality, obstetric fistula, malnutrition and HIV infection.

The hearing is open to the media and the public.

WHEN:

Thursday, July 15, 2010
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

WHERE:

2226 Rayburn House Building

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