Tasya's Story
While hunger pushes girls into child marriage, Tasya is advocating for child rights
What if you were told that... the best way a girl can help her family is to get married as a child so they have one less mouth to feed? This is the thinking in many countries across the world.
Enough! Did you read that? Were you appalled?
Does it break your heart? It breaks ours.
Child hunger levels are the worst they’ve been in generations because of conflict, climate change and post-COVID economies that are sending food prices beyond reach.
The result is devastating. A generation of disadvantaged children will die or not reach their potential. Too hungry to focus in school, so poor they are forced into work, or married off in the hope that one less belly at home will mean everyone else can survive just a little longer.
Tasya is the leader of the child forum in her community where she brings together boys and girls in her village to raise awareness about children’s rights and fight child marriage.
World Vision launched the child forum back in 2022 in Sigi, Indonesia. It was started in order to challenge damaging social norms and create a strong community network to protect children, especially girls, from various forms of violence.
For generations, girls in Sigi have been married while they were still teenagers. This is because too many parents are forced to make decisions that fail to keep their daughters’ wellbeing a priority.
Hunger forces parents in crisis to choose:
The spiralling costs of living have made it even harder. Most families in the mountains around Palu, Indonesia, make a living from growing rice, chillies or other crops, and earn just enough for essentials.
Many parents prioritise educating boys over girls, as their sons are thought to support the family, while daughters are expected to get married and raise children. Some even believe that child marriage is a way of protecting their daughters. Tragically, they’re wrong.
Child marriage is devastating for young girls.
Child brides soon become mothers, which cuts their education short and puts them at higher risk of being victims of domestic violence and abuse, having pregnancy complications, and staying in poverty.
Many girls are “married by accident” after finding out the sexual exploitation they endured left them pregnant. Additionally, to avoid bringing shame on their family, these girls are expected to marry the father as quickly as possible.
Though it's illegal, some girls – or their families – choose to have abortions performed by backyard practitioners in very unsafe conditions. Some girls don’t survive – and the reason for their death is never reported to protect the family’s reputation.
There is hope. There is enough in this world to give a life of plenty for every child, full of joy and hope.
Within the last year, more than 30 cases of child marriage in Tasya’s community were reported and referred to government support services through World Vision. These families were connected with emergency income support and health services for pregnant girls.
Tasya says their work is changing thinking in their community, so fewer girls are falling into child marriage.
Stand with us as we strive for a world where girls are:
We’re joining children and saying:
Enough child marriage.
Enough child hunger.
Enough child malnutrition.
No child will suffer from hunger if we all act NOW.
