Madam Deputy Representative of UNICEF,
Distinguished Government Representatives
Dear Partners in the Child Sector,
Community and Traditional Leaders,
Dear Young Girls and Boys,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, we gather to commemorate our collaborative efforts aimed at putting an end to the tragic issue of child marriage and to celebrate the continuation and intensification of these efforts. I was present at the launch of the first phase of the Deenka program on Dember 19, 2022 and am very pleased to be here to mark the second phase.
As research has shown, approximately one-third of young women in Mauritania aged between 20 and 24 find themselves married off before they even reach 18, with an alarming one-third married before the tender age of 15.
As you may know, girls married early have a small chance to pursue higher education. They are more likely to experience violence and are more vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases. Addressing the devastating effects of child marriage necessitates a concerted effort from all sectors of society.
Parents are pivotal in championing their daughters’ education and challenging social norms perpetuating this harmful practice.
Concurrently, the Mauritanian government’s commitment to enacting effective policies and programs underscores its resolve to address this issue.
Moreover, community engagement, including the involvement of religious leaders, educators, and peers, plays a key role in reshaping attitudes and behaviors toward child marriage.
As we embark on Phase II of the Deenka project, we renew our shared dedication to safeguarding and empowering the young girls of Mauritania.
I am particularly proud to announce that the United States is providing financial support for this phase of the Deenka project through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with a budget of 1 million five hundred fifty thousand USD over an 18-month period.
Phase II of the Deenka project will build upon and expand the achievements of its first phase. Our overarching goals for this new phase encompass a significant reduction in the prevalence of child marriage and gender-based violence within the Hodh Charghi and Guidimakha regions.
We aim to achieve this by enhancing access to education, providing empowerment through health and protection services, and fostering active community participation.
The accomplishments of Phase I of the Deenka project are a testament to our collective resolve.
For example, since the launch of the project in December 2023, 1,170 teenage girls, either married or at risk of marriage, have benefited from vital child protection services.
Approximately 260 out-of-school or married adolescent girls were equipped with training and financial support to embark on their entrepreneurial ventures.
We successfully reintegrated 60 girls at risk of marriage back into the educational system and provided essential training to 315 girls on pivotal subjects such as gender-based violence and children’s rights.
When I visited Hodh Charghi and Guidimakha in December 2023, I had the opportunity to meet and speak with some of the young women and their mothers who are participating in the program. I was so impressed with their courage and willingness to speak out openly about the real consequences of early marriage that they have witnessed first-hand in their own families. And as the U.S. Ambassador to Mauritania, I take immense pride that the U.S. government is fighting to change early childhood and forced marriages and uphold and protect human rights, particularly the rights of children and women.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering commitment to this paramount cause.