They are some of the most vulnerable girls on earth. They are denied their rights, they are at risk of abuse, their health is jeopardized, and their future prospects are limited.

From 25 November to 10 December, the world observes 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. These girls embody the strength and spirit of this movement.

Last year, despite her protests, Amina was betrothed to a much older man. “My uncle hit me with a stick and told me he would kill me if I continued to refuse the marriage,” she said. But she stood firm, and the wedding was cancelled.

A 40-year-old man proposed when Salamatou was just 14. She convinced her father to reject the proposal, and he encouraged her to join Action for Adolescent Girls, a girls’ empowerment programme supported by UNFPA and the Government of Niger. The girls in this series are all members of the programme.

Action for Adolescent Girls teaches literacy and life skills. It also raises awareness about the dangers of child marriage. After joining the programme, Chaâfatou was able to explain to her family how marrying early would endanger her health and future.

Many child brides are not physically ready to be mothers. Globally, pregnancy-related complications are the second leading cause of death among adolescent girls. Mariama has received several proposals, but refuses to marry until she is 18.

Girls who become pregnant while physically immature are more likely to develop obstetric fistula – a labour complication that causes incontinence, often followed by chronic health problems. Manira’s Action for Adolescent Girls mentor convinced her parents to call off the wedding.

Zeinabou was married at 15. But she fought back when her husband tried to rape her, almost nightly, for weeks. Finally, he divorced her. Today, she is a proud advocate for girls’ rights.

Girls are expected to defer to their parents’ decisions, but Ramatou took a stand when her parents arranged a marriage for her last year. She protested, and after her mentor and the local imam intervened, her parents relented.

Salamatou’s father forced her to marry when she was 16. She ran away after a brutal wedding night, but her father found her, beat her and returned her to her husband's home. There, she was abused for days before her family agreed to pursue a divorce.

Last year, when Hadiza refused to marry, her father sent her to a religious official for an exorcism. “He beat me repeatedly with a long stick during long exorcism sessions,” she recounted. Still, she stood her ground, and the wedding plans were cancelled.

Dowries and bride prices can create incentives to marry off girls while they are young. But awareness of the harms of child marriage can change people’s minds – as it did for Zara’s parents.

Gender inequality plays a huge role in perpetuating child marriage. But when girls are empowered, when they know their rights and have a choice, they marry later. “I told my family to wait until I was 18,” Balkissa said.

Two years ago, when Nana refused to marry a 25-year-old man, her father was furious. But over time, he came to understand that the marriage would have put her at risk.

Sahanatou’s father wanted to throw her out of the house when she refused to get married. She appealed to an aunt, who convinced him to drop the wedding plans. “I intend to educate other girls so they, too, can assert themselves, and know and defend their rights.”

Larira’s father accepted a proposal from someone she had never met. With help from uncles and neighbours, Larira convinced her parents to cancel the wedding. “We must help all young girls to have the courage to say no to early marriage.”

Samira’s uncle arranged for her to be married at age 13. “During the wedding night, when the guests left, my husband handed me money to give to the bridesmaids so they could take a taxi home. I used this money to escape to my father’s family.”

Wassila refused to marry a 20-year-old tailor. Through the UNFPA girls’ empowerment programme, she has learned to read and write, and wants to start her own business – as a seamstress. She echoed the sentiments of many girls when she declared, “I hate dependence.”