CHILD MARRIAGE, A PRACTICE TO BE ERADICATED!

Forced marriage of minors is a very recurrent practice in Africa. In West and Central Africa mainly, around 60 million girls are married before the age of 18 (UNICEF, 2018). Côte d'Ivoire is not immune to this scourge which is undermining the present century. In certain regions of Côte d'Ivoire such as Gontougo, this phenomenon persists. Each year it registers marriages which, moreover, are transformed into veritable public festivities. It has been revealed that about 40% of the traditional marriages contracted during these festivities are minors, little girls who generally are taken out of school. To contribute to the eradication of this phenomenon which, according to UNICEF, "seriously harms education, health, including sexual and reproductive health, and the general development of adolescents and young people”, RIDDEF carried out several activities. The first part took place in 2017 and the second in 2019. These activities led to many results, including the mobilization and commitment of 30 administrative, political, religious and traditional authorities, hence the signing of the charter called '' Zero Early and Forced Child Marriage'' by the King of Bondoukou.