Empower girls across the world

Girls across the world face threats including child marriage, female genital mutilation and sexual violence. UNICEF estimates that an adolescent girl dies every 10 minutes as a direct result of violence.

Violence can take many forms; domestic abuse, trafficking, rape, or harmful practices such as early marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C).

Violence against girls crosses culture, ethnicity and economic status. We know that violence does not begin with a conflict or an emergency, but any existing levels of violence against women and girls do increase during these times.

Violence against girls and women has its roots in gender inequality and discrimination - and negative norms or practices that result from these.

Many families living in poverty turn to child marriage, or put their children to work, because otherwise they will not have enough money to survive. World Vision helps families to gain other sources of income, including empowering women to start their own businesses or purchasing livestock for family farms. In some communities, a girls education is the last to be prioritised because women traditionally become Mothers from a young age.

There are unfortunately a number of countries across the world where child marriage takes place. Most commonly it happens in developing countries, but not exclusively. Of the top 25 countries for the highest rates of child marriage, almost all of them are affected by natural disasters, fragility, or conflict. For 70 years, World Vision has been working in these countries to end child marriage. 

According to the report, State of the World's Children, conducted by UNICEF in 2017, the countries with the highest rates of child marriage under 18 (counted among women who are now aged 20-24) are:

Niger* - 76%
Central African Republic* - 68%
Chad* - 67%
Bangladesh* - 59%
Mali* - 52%
South Sudan* - 52%
Burkina Faso - 52%
Guinea - 51%
Mozambique* - 48%
India* - 47%

*Countries where World Vision works with communities to help the most vulnerable children.

40% of the world's child brides are in South Asia. Mainly due to the large population of the region and the fact that child marriage has been common here for a long time. India however has been making fast progress towards eliminating child marriage, particularly for girls under the age of 15.
In sub-Saharan Africa, progress is much slower, and is another region for concern. Africa's larger population means that more children will be at risk of child marriage.

We help families to provide for themselves so that they do not feel the need to marry their daughters at a young age or send them out to work.

We fund the education of girls and help them reach their career goals, including sponsored girls. Many sponsored girls go on to become teachers, nurses and business owners.

We challenge social norms and harmful practices, working with faith leaders and communities to acknowledge and act upon gender injustices and negative practices.

We engage men and boys to make sure they recognise and act upon their obligation to prevent and end violence against girls and women.

We provide training for children on their rights, how to better protect themselves, challenging existing gender imbalances and actively engaging with the wider community.

We protect girls in emergencies, creating Child Friendly Spaces where girls and boys are protected from the risk of violence, have space to play and continue with their education.

We also work within refugee camps to promote gender equality and reduce the occurrence of violence.

We provide medical, legal and psychological support as well as life skills, vocational training and other support for girls affected by violence, including former girl soldiers.

You can easily sign up to sponsor a child on the Sponsor a Child page or by calling our Supporter Care Team on 01908 84 10 10.

World Vision has had a Child Sponsorship programme for more than 70 years, we pair donors with a vulnerable child who needs protection and empowerment.

Child Sponsorship brings much-needed change to more than just one child — the benefits you help provide extends to each child's family, their community and other children in need. 

This is because World Vision partners, plans and works alongside local community members to help build healthy, sustainable communities for vulnerable children in the world’s hardest places. Learn more about how Child Sponsorship works. 

All of World Vision's work begins with listening to communities in need. Community leaders work with us to identify the most vulnerable children and families who will benefit from Child Sponsorship.

We work with national governments and other international agencies to identify the regions and communities that are most in need and where the most vulnerable children live. We then meet with community leaders and the wider community to gain a greater understanding of the challenges and the opportunities that exist for them and we develop a long-term plan together, to break the cycle of poverty. Find out more about how Child Sponsorship works.