Norway's Inspired Campaign Against Child Marriage
Won't Someone Think of The Children
Thea is a normal 12 year old Norwegian girl, and like most girls her age, she started her own blog where she writes about her seemingly ordinary life.With one major difference, Thea started her blog because she is getting married to Geir, a 34 year old man. This blog went viral and many concerned citizens called the police to report the underage marriage.As it turns out, Thea will not be marrying Geir. It was all part of a campaign to raise awareness of underage marriage all around the world. According to the website every 2 seconds an underage girl is married off, limiting their access to education, health and protection. The campaigner's aim is to eradicate child marriage in one generation; the girls who have escaped underage marriage will not let their daughters be married off before they are ready.
Norwegians are taking to social media to debate the subject, and campaign to stop underage marriage using the hashtag: #stopbryllupet. This campaign was undeniably very successful, but why?
One of the reasons the campaign was so successful is that Thea is a 'real' girl. She isn't just another number or another story you hear about in passing, she seems so real. She has a blog, she uses social media and even has a Snapchat, like any other girl her own age. She could be the your friend's little sister, your neighbor or even the girl you cross on the street. She's very relatable.
All these elements come together and truly make this campaign thought provoking. Thea posts pictures of the wedding preparations from choosing the cake to finding a dress, things anyone getting married is doing. But her naivety and young age makes you feel uneasy. Seeing a picture of Thea in a grown up wedding dress really makes you feel like something is wrong and that this sort of thing should not be allowed.
Laura is a recent graduate from University of East Anglia in Film and Television Studies, currently interning as a content writer but hoping to one day live off her writing. Follow her @LauraAtSMF.
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Norway's Inspired Campaign Against Child Marriage
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Monday, October 13, 2014
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