Stand up for young girls in Burkina Faso

SIGN NOW: ZERO tolerance for child marriage in Burkina Faso.

Dear Tracy, "If you don't go to join your husband, I will kill you." This is what Maria's* father told her when she resisted a forced marriage to a 70-year-old man with five other wives. She was only 13 years old. This has to stop. Send a message to Burkina Faso's Justice and Human Rights Minister, urging the government to protect girls and young women from forced marriages. More than half of all girls are married before they turn 18. Some are as young as 11. Maria escaped her forced marriage by walking for three straight days to seek refuge at a shelter for young girls. Several shelters, many run by nuns and volunteers, have been attacked for taking these girls in. The situation for Burkinabe girls is so dire that Amnesty International has identified these forced marriages as a priority human rights case in our 2015 Write for Rights campaign. Shine a light for young girls and women in Burkina Faso. Join thousands of Amnesty activists around the world by signing our petition today and make a difference for girls like Maria. Forced and early marriage is actually banned by Burkina Faso's constitution and international law, but the law is not enforced across Burkina Faso. The violations of these girls' human rights are serious and have far-reaching consequences for them. Once married, many are denied an education and cook, clean, fetch water and work in the fields, from dawn to dusk. Most have their first child before the age of 20 and lack information and meaningful choices about pregnancy and birth control. Join forces with us today to help end child marriage in Burkina Faso. Thank you for speaking out against the human rights abuses experienced by girls like Maria. Together, our actions make a difference. In solidarity, Tarah Demant Senior Director, Identity and Discrimination Amnesty International USA