This presentation describes the various factors leading to early marriage in three contexts -- in Bangladesh, among Guatemala's Mayan population, and among the Hmong and Dao minorities in Vietnam -- and the implications for programs aiming to delay marriage in these different contexts (for instance, in Bangladesh, dowry price rises with age). In addition, it explains that a lack of opportunities and social isolation are important common correlates of early marriage among disadvantaged ethnic minorities in Asia and Latin America.

This document reports on activities in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda during the second year of the USAID grant "Advancing Women's Rights Globally." Under this grant, Georgetown University Law Center's International Women's Human Rights Clinic and its four partners (LAWA-Ghana, WRAPA, WLAC, and LAW-Uganda) work on various projects to advance women's rights and fight discrimination, including legislation, litigation, strengthening civil society, and public education. The women's rights issues covered include trafficking, domestic violence, marriage, divorce, polygamy, brideprice, adultery, child marriage, property, inheritance, employment, maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, female genital mutilation, and political participation.

This document reports on activities in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda during the third year of the USAID grant "Advancing Women's Rights Globally." Under this grant, Georgetown University Law Center's International Women's Human Rights Clinic and its four partners (LAWA-Ghana, WRAPA, WLAC, and LAW-Uganda) work on various projects to advance women's rights and fight discrimination, including legislation, litigation, strengthening civil society, and public education. The women's rights issues covered include trafficking, domestic violence, marriage, divorce, polygamy, brideprice, adultery, child marriage, property, inheritance, employment, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, female genital cutting, and political participation.

This document reports on activities in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda during the extension period of the USAID grant "Advancing Women's Rights Globally." Under this grant, Georgetown University Law Center's International Women's Human Rights Clinic and its four partners (LAWA-Ghana, WRAPA, WLAC, and LAW-Uganda) work on various projects to advance women's rights and fight discrimination, including legislation, litigation, strengthening civil society, and public education. The women's rights issues covered include trafficking, domestic violence, marriage, divorce, polygamy, brideprice, adultery, child custody, property, inheritance, HIV/AIDS, maternal health, female genital mutilation, and political participation.

This one-pager describes the achievements of USAID's Women's Legal Rights Initiative in Benin. With encouragement from the project, Benin has adopted national reforms that render many longstanding local customs illegal. However, awareness is low and enforcement is weak. The Women's Legal Rights Benin team, with local partners, visits remote areas of the country informing women and men about the new laws.

This two-page case study describes USAID-supported work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assist and reintegrate boys and girls abducted during the 10 years of conflict in eastern DRC, along with children conceived by abducted girls during their time with the fighting forces. With USAID support, COOPI, an Italian NGO working in Ituri district, has helped reintegrate victims into their communities safely as well as prevent future abduction, trafficking, and sexual violence. Through an extensive communication campaign and a victim support center, COOPI has reached often-hidden girls by working to change the behavior of communities toward abductees, reducing the stigma and shame felt by victims, and helping victims improve their self-identification and skills.

This presentation describes interventions to stop child marriage in Ethiopia that have been implemented by World Learning and Pathfinder International. The range of interventions includes school-based, community-based, and partnerships with national and regional legal/civil society organizations. Promising preliminary findings on child marriage are also presented.

This presentation discusses the problem of child marriage in Ethiopia, which is due to poverty and lack of opportunity, and the lessons learned from development programs there. It explains the social change approach to stopping child marriage, which involves understanding the cultural context, including and forming strategic alliances with different members of society, and integrating with larger programs.

This presentation explains how the Safe Schools Program is helping to prevent child marriage in Malawi. It profiles several young girls who the Safe Schools Program helped stay or re-enroll in school. A total of 35 child marriages were avoided between October and December 2007.

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 6 contents:

• Child Marriage in Afghanistan
• Men and Public Harassment in Afghanistan
• Former Male Child Soldiers in Afghanistan
• Protection of Women in Afghanistan

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 7 contents:

• Widows in Afghanistan
• Street Children in Kabul
• The Commitment to Combat Violence against Women
• Women and the Afghan Parliament
• A Workshop on Forced and Child Marriage

This presentation describes the various factors leading to early marriage in three contexts -- in Bangladesh, among Guatemala's Mayan population, and among the Hmong and Dao minorities in Vietnam -- and the implications for programs aiming to delay marriage in these different contexts (for instance, in Bangladesh, dowry price rises with age). In addition, it explains that a lack of opportunities and social isolation are important common correlates of early marriage among disadvantaged ethnic minorities in Asia and Latin America.

This presentation describes the various factors leading to early marriage in three contexts -- in Bangladesh, among Guatemala's Mayan population, and among the Hmong and Dao minorities in Vietnam -- and the implications for programs aiming to delay marriage in these different contexts (for instance, in Bangladesh, dowry price rises with age). In addition, it explains that a lack of opportunities and social isolation are important common correlates of early marriage among disadvantaged ethnic minorities in Asia and Latin America.

This presentation describes the various factors leading to early marriage in three contexts -- in Bangladesh, among Guatemala's Mayan population, and among the Hmong and Dao minorities in Vietnam -- and the implications for programs aiming to delay marriage in these different contexts (for instance, in Bangladesh, dowry price rises with age). In addition, it explains that a lack of opportunities and social isolation are important common correlates of early marriage among disadvantaged ethnic minorities in Asia and Latin America.