UNITED NATIONS, New York - To mark the first International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, will release a new report on child marriage around the world and what should be done to eradicate it. Marrying too Young: End Child Marriage sheds light on child marriage prevalence and trends in developing countries, and provides a glimpse into the future by describing what countries may face if current trends in child marriage continue.

The report will be presented at the United Nations during a press conference by UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chair of The Elders, founders of Girls Not Brides .

The Day’s observance will also include the opening of TOO YOUNG TO WED, an art exhibition hosted by UNFPA and VII Photo Agency. Featuring photography by Stephanie Sinclair and video by Jessica Dimmock, the show highlights the personal narratives of girls from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, India, Nepal and Yemen. The show aims to renew global attention to the critical issue and promote accountability from decision makers around the world.

Thursday, 11 October

For media accreditation to the United Nations, please check
http://www.un.org/en/media/accreditation/index.shtml

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UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

VII Photo Agency was created in 2001 by seven of the world’s leading photojournalists. By 2005 it was listed in third position in American Photo’s “100 Most Important People in Photography.” VII Photo Agency now represents 23 of the world’s preeminent photojournalists, whose careers span 35 years of world history. www.viiphoto.com

Girls Not Brides is a global partnership of more than 190 non-governmental organizations committed to ending child marriage. Girls Not Brides members are based in 38 countries throughout Africa, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America and range from grassroots groups working to end child marriage and support child brides in their communities, to international NGOs seeking to bring global attention to this neglected problem.

Girls Not Brides was founded in 2011 by The Elders, a group of independent leaders using their collective experience and influence for peace, justice and human rights worldwide. Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chair of The Elders.  http://girlsnotbrides.org/

Stephanie Sinclair spent the early years of her career working for the Chicago Tribune and as an assignment photographer for Corbis based in Baghdad and Lebanon. In 2007, she joined VII and has worked as a contract photographer for National Geographic since 2009, and more recently for The Wall Street Journal and the Open Society Foundation. Importantly, Ms. Sinclair is a photojournalist known for gaining unique access to the most sensitive gender and human rights issues around the world. In the past eight years, she has produced photographic narratives on child brides, the painful disfigurement of young girls caused by female genital mutilation/cutting, and polygamy.  A portfolio of Ms. Sinclair’s work can be seen here http://bit.ly/KcVYy5.
  
Jessica Dimmock is an award-winning documentary photographer and cinematographer. Her work has been exhibited at international galleries and museums, including Foam, The Photography Museum of Amsterdam, and Forma, The International Centre of Photography in Milan. She is the recipient of the Inge Morath Award from Magnum. Her photographic book, “The Ninth Floor,” was published in 2007, and her first feature film "Without" premiered in 2011. Ms. Dimmock’s work most often focuses on social isolation, inequality, labour, and the human condition. A portfolio of Dimmock’s work can be seen on http://bit.ly/JZoC01 .
 

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For more information, please contact:
At UNFPA: Christian Delsol, 1 212 297 5032; delsol@unfpa.org; or
Mandy Kibel, 1 212 297 5293; kibel@unfpa.org
 At VII Photo Agency: Alina Grosman, 718-858-3130; Alina@viiphoto.com
At Girls Not Brides: Laura Dickinson +44 7500 864 871, media@GirlsNotBrides.org