As we approach International Day of the Girl (Saturday, October 11), Plan International Australia has launched a powerful new campaign — ‘Not Ready for a Wedding’ — calling on everyone to help end child marriage and protect the 12 million girls who are married off before their 18th birthday each year.
The campaign coincides with the release of Plan International’s confronting State of the World’s Girls 2025 report, Let Me Be a Child, Not a Wife, which reveals the devastating realities of child marriage and its lasting impact on girls’ lives from violence and lost education to a lifetime of inequality.
www.plan.org.au: Plan International: 12 Million Girls Forced Into Marriage Each Year250 Voices From Around the World
The report draws on the lived experiences of over 250 girls and young women across 15 countries — all of whom were married or in informal unions before turning 18. Their powerful testimonies expose the harsh truth behind early marriage: childhoods cut short, rights stripped away, and futures stolen.
“This report gives a voice to girls who are too often silenced — their lives shaped by decisions made without them,” said Susanne Legena, CEO of Plan International Australia. “Child marriage is not a distant issue — it’s a global crisis that demands our attention, especially as Australia plays a leading role in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Not Ready for a Wedding — A Symbol of Lost Potential
The campaign’s central message is clear: a girl is not ready for marriage any more than a flower bud is ready to bloom. Child marriage puts an end to education and is one of the leading drivers of violence, school dropout and poor mental health, often becoming a life sentence of lost potential.
The Reality Behind the Statistics
The State of the World’s Girls report reveals:
- 35% of girls dropped out of school immediately after marriage.
- 63% are not in education, employment or training.
- 13% have experienced violence from their partner.
- 45% were married to a man at least five years older.
- 28% are now divorced, often facing stigma and isolation.
- Social media is emerging as a new front, with older men exploiting vulnerable girls online, offering marriage as a “golden ticket” out of hardship.
Many of the girls surveyed described being dominated by older partners and their families. Bupe, 19, from Zambia, who was married at 15, said: “Whenever I tried to speak up, he would beat me. I kept quiet because I feared the consequences.”
Digital Exploitation — The New Threat
In regions like Asia and Latin America, the digital age has opened new avenues for exploitation. Older men are using social platforms to groom and manipulate girls, preying on their emotional and financial vulnerabilities with promises of love or security.
Stories of Strength and Resilience
Despite the grim statistics, the report also highlights incredible resilience. Juna, 24, from Nepal, said: “I was married off young and deprived of everything. But I won’t let that happen to my daughter.”
Plan International Australia ambassador, actress and gender equality advocate Phoebe Tonkin, added: “Girls like Kanada from Cambodia, who was married as a child but fought to become a motorcycle mechanic, show remarkable strength — but they shouldn’t have to fight so hard just to have a childhood.”
Plan International’s ‘Not Ready for a Wedding’ Campaign & How You Can Help
Kanada (above) lives in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia.
Married at 17 in what she describes as a forced marriage, she struggled with uncertainty, lack of work, and fears about her future. With no job and little understanding of what marriage would bring, she felt unprepared and overwhelmed. Her health and education suffered, and she faced many challenges after becoming pregnant. Eventually, Kanada joined a motorcycle repair training programme promoted by Plan International, the only woman in the course.
Despite self-doubt and community scepticism, she persevered. With encouragement from her husband and support from her parents, Kanada opened her own repair shop. She now earns a daily income, feels proud and independent, and is recognised by the community as a skilled professional.
Kanada hopes girls in the next generation can avoid child marriage and learn skills that will help them support themselves.
“This campaign is about action,” said Ms Legena. “We’re calling on Australians to help dismantle harmful social norms and invest in solutions that protect girls’ futures. Every girl deserves the right to choose her own path.”
This International Day of the Girl, stand with Plan International Australia and help rewrite the story for 12 million girls around the world.
Join the ‘Not Ready for a Wedding’ movement and give girls the education, safety and opportunities they deserve.
👉 Donate or learn more at www.plan.org.au
