Meet Thea—she’s a 12-year-old Norwegian girl, and she’s about to get married this weekend to a 37-year-old man.
Her thoughts and feelings on becoming a bride-to-be are documented in her blog, which has drawn high readership within a day.
The outrageous wedding has resulted in public outcry, with many contacting the related authorities to stop Norway’s first child wedding. Debate surrounding the underage marriage also became rife on social media.
Nevertheless, individuals can object to the couple’s nuptials by turning up digitally for the wedding—in a show of support for the campaign.
The entire controversy aims to raise awareness of child marriages through the wedding, taking place on 11 October, which coincides with the UN’s International Day of the Girl Child.
According to the website of this campaign, an estimated 39,000 girls are forced to abandon their childhood through child marriages daily. And individuals can help draw attention to this alarming plight by sharing related Facebook or Twitter statuses on the wedding day.
The organization Girls Not Brides shed light on this occurrence, saying child marriages have its roots in tradition.
“Child marriage happens in many communities because that is the way things have always been. If a family refuses to give their child away in marriage, they can be considered outcasts among the rest of the society, and the chances of finding a future husband for their daughters will decrease sharply.”
What are your thoughts about this petition?
[via MiNDFOOD, images via Thea]