According to a UN survey, though the child marriage problem has been gradually improving with the joint efforts of various parties, it is still a pressing issue in this modern era – more than 640 million married women were victims of child marriage, and a girl falls into child marriage every three seconds. In recent years, due to conflicts, natural disasters, the impact of the pandemic etc., many families in developing countries have been living in great hardship. The male-dominated culture has further compelled parents to marry off their daughters as a means to alleviate economic burdens. When girls are chained by child marriage at the beginning of their lives, and deprived of their childhood and educational opportunities, how can they live their lives to the fullest?

This year, Plan International once again joins hands with Cosmopolitan to organise the “Run for Girls! 2024” to raise funds for our anti-child marriage projects in Bangladesh. You can help free girls from child marriage by stepping out and taking part in the run! With one more runner joining the 10.11km, 3km or 1km run, one more Bangladeshi girl could be rescued from child marriage, and empowered to pursue their dreams!