WATCH: New Video Highlights the Disturbing Plight of Child Brides

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It’s the International Women’s Day today, and as we celebrate the rights of girls and women, UNICEF and Bridal Musings share this new reenactment video highlighting the disturbing plight of child brides around the world.

Watch below.

The story re-enacted in the video resonates with that of a now 18-year-old girl in Niger whose dad forced to marry a man in his 30’s when she was only 10. The girl, Samia, was then in second grade, and her chance at a fair and healthy childhood was completely ruined.

For three years, Samia was repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted by her husband. When she wasn’t being abused, her mother-in-law forced her to work. Often she was left to sleep alone outside without being fed.

She became pregnant at 14 but delivered a stillborn baby. Once she got back from the hospital, she became determined to end her nightmare. She secretly planted and sold groundnuts from which she made $10.

So, one night, she fled her husband’s house, bought a bus ticket and travelled to her aunt’s village to start a new life.

She is now a member of a women’s support group for former child brides and survivors of domestic violence.

She recently shared,

“My goal now is to become a tailor, have a sewing machine and sewing kit and work for myself, truly be autonomous. When a woman doesn’t have any financial resources, she depends on a man. I don’t want ever again to have to depend on a man, neither my father nor a husband.”

Sadly, like Samia, an estimated 15 million girls across the world will be married as children this year.