International Day of The Girl: One girl’s journey to overcome child marriage

This year, we’re celebrating International Day of the Girl by taking a closer look at the girls and young women taking action for change in their communities. It is their bravery and sacrifice that is designing a better, more equal future for all of us.    

This is Zala’s story. 

At the age of 12, and with no explanation, Zala was forced to drop out of school and travel with her aunt to the Somali region in Ethiopia. She had no idea she was sent there to be married.  

“At that age, you don’t really understand what love or marriage is,” says Zala. “When my future husband approached me and said he loved me and wanted to marry me, I felt very scared. I did not want to marry him. I was not interested. But my father had given his permission. I had no options and I was afraid of my family.” 

After the marriage, Zala lived with her stranger husband and his family. She was in an unfamiliar place, with no friends or family to support her. It was a deeply painful and confusing time.  

After four agonizing months, her mother came to visit her and, seeing her daughter’s distress, convinced Zala to leave her marriage and come home. But instead of relief, she was met with another blow. Shortly after returning home, she discovered that she was pregnant. Her young body not ready to bear a child, she suffered a miscarriage. 

In addition to the emotional and physical pain, girls like Zala are confronted with deep-rooted stigmas related to divorce. Communities often reject divorced girls, preventing them from returning to school or enjoying a fulfilling social life with their peers. “I faced a lot of stigma when I got back, which is why I had planned to move to Djibouti to just find a job and earn money,” said Zala with tears in her eyes.  

Young people protecting their own rights 

SOS Children’s Villages, in partnership with Joining Forces Africa, is implementing community and school-based programs in Ethiopia to tackle the alarming numbers of child marriage and the violations of girls’ rights. Through children’s clubs and partnerships with local government and community-based child protection groups, these interventions aim to increase awareness while elevating the voices of young people. And now, children and young people are taking the lead in efforts to eliminate child marriage and other harmful traditional practices. 

After the first year of implementation in the Babile district, the number of child marriage has significantly decreased, and there has been a notable increase in the enrollment of girls in school. The children’s clubs have also had a powerful impact on communities, with religious leaders now refusing to bless marriages involving children. The results of the project already provide strong evidence that child participation and youth leadership effectively contribute to social change. 

A role model for girls returning to school 

When Zala returned from Djibouti, she initially refused to go back to school. “I was afraid of my peers and the community. People try to shame girls like me who go back to school at my age,” says Zala.  

After receiving intensive counseling at home provided by SOS Children’s Villages, Zala decided to return to school. “In the beginning, I felt uncomfortable, because I was much older than the other boys and girls in my class. But thanks to the support of SOS and Joining Forces, I felt stronger and decided to tackle all those stigmas around girls who were married but want to pursue their education. I want to learn, no matter the grade I am in, and not lose out to social stigmas,” she says confidently. 

Now, at age 16, Zala has big plans for her future. “I want to finish school and become a doctor. I like to help people and I want to treat patients, so they become healthy again,” she says. 

Zala has become a role model in her school and community, advocating to end child marriage and raising awareness amongst her peers and their families on the negative impacts of child marriage on girls’ health and the need to destigmatize divorce. 

“There are a lot of other girls who are affected by child marriage and many boys and girls think it is normal to get married at an early age because it is a common practice in my community,” says Zala. “I want to show them that it’s possible to overcome stigmas and pursue education. We are organizing different social groups and initiatives. There is also an active girls club in my school that is meeting twice a month, where we can raise our concerns. 

“I want other girls to know that in order to live a happy and self-determined life, it is important to be educated. Even if you dropped out of school, it is never too late to return and catch up on your dreams.” 

*Names changed to protect privacy.   

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