Thread by @Lusukalanga

Youth speak up on #endingchildmarriage
'We are living at the core of the problem and we should be at the core of the solution!' #GNB2018

Her family tried to marry her off but she resisted. Now she uses rap music to spread the message on #endingchildmarriages around the world.
'We can do it if we work together.' #GNB2018

Message from the elders;
*"Take every opportunity to share insights and suggestions with each other."
*"Connect with each other to learn & align.
*"Inspire each other to reach greater heights to achieve our goal of ending child marriages." #GNB2018

'This is an organisation where international organisations are a minority.' @MabelvanOranje #GNB2018
Very refreshing! 😉

Child marriage is a barrier to 8 of the 17 #SGDs
It's all connected. This is why it's a must to work together; connecting, learning, inspiring and aligning!
#endingchildmarriages
#GNB2018

"We must remember our ethos that we started with;
We are pragmatic!
We are low on bureaucracy.
We consider all organisations equal.
We collaborate.
Girls are at the centre of our work"- @MabelvanOranje
#GNB2018

.@MabelvanOranje ends her remarks by asking the members to stand and retaliate our conviction that
"Let girls be girls not brides!!!!"
#GNB2018

Opening session with @vanyaradzayi , AFrican Union Ambassador for #endingchildmarriages as one of the panelists
#GNB2018

"We must go beyond scaling the status quo. Scaling the status quo is not transformation. We must go beyond tinkering around patriarchy. Child marriage is an issue of development, rights and justice" - @vanyaradzayi #GNB2018

"Child marriage is a crime. I'ts rape. I'ts violence against children. I'ts abuse. We must stop using culture to justify a crime.
We must continue to strengthen our movement being youth led, girl led & for this meeting let's say #Africangirl "-@vanyaradzayi
#GNB2018

I am angry...I am hurting. It is preventable...
With the right politics, right policies, right technical interventations and right private conversations, we can #endchildmarriages " - @vanyaradzayi #GNB2018

#Endchildmarriages
#GNB2018
@HabibaRezwana

.@suzp facilitating this important session.
'Legal age of consent to sex varies from 11 to 18. Most currently, it is set at 16 for both males & females.
Legal age of marriage is mostly lower for women especially when you consider parental consent.' #GNB2018

We are going through a quiz.
Here are some questions. Answer agree/disagree
1.Should the legal age of marriage for girls be 18
2.should the legal age of marriage for boys be 18
3. Should someone over the age of 18 be punished or prosecuted for marrying someone under 18 #GNB2018

4.Do adults over the age of 18 have a right to a safe and satisfying sex life? #GNB2018

5. Adolescents have a right to a safe and satifying sex life. #GNB2018

6. Minimum legal age of marriage should be the same as minimum legal age of consential sex. #GNB2018

Debate: Should the legal age of marriage be the same as the legal age of consent to sex? #GNB2018

"Giving SRH information to persons under 18 doesn't mean we should allow them to have sex. Its clear that when we allow girls to have sex below 18 we open doors for them to lose focus. A child is not supposed to do things an adult is supposed to do." #GNB2018

"One of the things we can do to ensure empowerment of girls is their development. We need to remove distractions." #GNB2018

"In criminalising sex for people below 18, governments restrict the rights of adolescents to sexual expression." #GNB2018

"Laws are meant to protect.
We must think about What it is we're protecting girls from and how are we empowering them? Is it for our girls or for sustaining our cultural norms on marriage and motherhood." #GNB2018

"We need to build the autonomy of adolescent girls from earlier stages. Criminalisation doesn't work." - #GNB2018

"I believe in freedom of choice and consential sex but how much investment are we making in building the agency of girls? Because it is about informed choice." #GNB2018

Speaking on the CRC that states a child as anyone under 18 which is used as an arguement to infantalise adolsecents;
"Danger in criminalising sex is that we create an environment where young people can't differentiate between abuse and desire." #GNB2018

"*We have to ensure that adolescents are protected from abuse.
*We have to recognise evolving capacities of adoscents. Recognise children as active agents in their own life while being protected. "
#GNB2018

"*Making sexual activity illegal will limit access to SRH needs of adolescents to protect themselves." #GNB2018

"*We need to recognise growing evidence that the stigma around adolescents having sex outside marriage may be contibuting to child marriages. " #GNB2018

Plenary session on the role of multilateral organisations in ending child marriages. Panelists from @UNFPA @UNICEF #UNWomen #GNB2018

Child marriage results currently, according to @UNFPA Global program to #endchildmarriage presented by @NankaliM #GNB2018

Primary ways #UNWomen is working to #Endchildmarriages
#GNB2018

'The world bank is a bank🤷🏿‍♀️ , so we give a lot of loans and perhaps that's what we are best know for but we also do analytical work...We released a report on economic costs of child marriages.' #GNB2018

Malawi is one of the countries which will benefit from financing from the World Bank on girls' education. #GNB2018

'Civil society space is shrinking and governments are becoming more suspicious of NGOs and pushing them to the periphery. This is a problem.' #GNB2018

'..the closer you get to the community, the more people work together. We need to learn bottom up as opposed to going top-down'. @NankaliM #GNB2018

'We haven't done the homework interms of looking at it(child marriage) in a cost analysis way. I'ts easier to say we need a comprehensive strategy but tougher to zoom in & point at A or B as the best soloution'. #GNB2018

"Shoul we look at it in terms of cost or investment? The visions between using the Human rights approach & the finance approach seem to conflict. It is a dialogue that must be had.' #GNB2018

'We must utilise the big data technology to see exactly where we are because the world is changing. An intergrated approach with the rights based approach is what we continue to work with.' #GNB2018

The World bank continues to stress the importance of looking at trade-offs. Biggest impact for limited resources is the message.
Would be interesting to know the definition of 'impact' (ahem...alittle sarcasm here).
#GNB2018

Next session!#GNB2018

Life skills programmes are a powerful tool for girls' empowerment. They are done in different contexts using different methodologies.
@UNICEF conducted a review on these programmes to identify elements that can be packaged & scaled up. #GNB2018

Voice, choice & control should be the theory of change for girls' clubs and safe spaces for girls. #GNB2018

Evidence showing there is more need to involve families in #endingchildmarriages but pertinent to recognise the family power structures where young people are looked down on. How do we go around these hierarchies to turn families into allies? #GNB2018

Next session! Moderated by @JulieJuma1 #GNB2018

'Being in a national partnership (for @GirlsNotBrides ) is powerful because you get recognition from government and have access to invited policy making spaces. This helps in making advocacy easier.' - @JulieJuma1 #GNB2018

Didn't get a chance to ask qns in this session but i was going to say;
The words trust and respect have been used alot by members of the @GirlsNotBrides which is commendable But how do members of the hold eachother accountable at country level?#GNB2018

Secondly, recognising that not all organisations working in ending child marriages are members of @GirlsNotBrides national partnerships, how do you work with them and how do you ensure that gnb national partnerships are not elitist groups/cults? #GNB2018

Lastly, addressing remarks that say it's time the youth made themselves available & became active in this work: the youth are already working!
Qns u should be asking;
*How many youth are part of the leadership team in your organisation?Why?
*why are u here & not them?

#GNB2018

The best man for today!
Very honest & refreshing. Enjoyed his remarks as a panelist on the role of multilateral organisations in ending child marriages. Thank you Dr. @ChandraMouliWHO for starting conversations we would usually push under the carpet! @HabibaRezwana
#GNB2018

Would the trip even be worth it if I didn't bask in the glorious presence of my mama @vanyaradzayi ?
Everytime I see her, I'm refreshed, re-energised and inspired anew!!💜💜
@HabibaRezwana
#GNB2018

Day 2 of #GNB2018
Interesting session on teen pregnancies.
'Comprehensive sexual education is the way to go. If it doesn't have gender as a major component then it is not comprehensive.'

How do you talk about agency of girls when the whole system works against you in terms of culture, socio-economic status fueling inequalities & power imbalances?
#GNB2018

Work on safe abortions must stress on bringing evidence to policy makerse on the impact of unsafe abortions. #GNB2018

'There is no one size fits all in working with different communities to end child marriages. It's important to collaborate with other partners to provide a wide range of services but also keeping govt accountable in the provision of social services. #GNB2018

I work to #endchildmarriages so girls are free to;
Have voice, choice and control!
@SonitaAlizadeh
@GirlsNotBrides
#GNB2018

To #endchildmarriages we must;
Smash the patriarchy!!!!
@GirlsNotBrides
#GNB2018

So much fun stuff to do in the village!
Here's my gif,my jam!😎😉
@GirlsNotBrides
#GNB2018

Hey @TheJamaJack
Hey @_Nanzunga_
Reporting back!
I'm hanging with these two beauties @haddijatoujonga @musubakoto 😉😍🤗

Hey @_Nanzunga_ look who i bumped into!😀😀 #GNB2018

Hey @dubbydacious reporting back!
@misskache is awesome! Thanks for connecting us😘😘💜 #GNB2018

Malawi's powerhouses! @HabibaRezwana #HonorableJessieKabwila
We are well represented y'all!💪🏾 #GNB2018

Open space round table discussions with Honorouble Jessie Kabwila
Sharing experiences of the Malawi parliamentary women's caucus work in taking the law to the people particularly their work in #endingchildmarriages
#GNB2018

What is the use of model law in a body that has no legislative authority? It helps push and lobby for laws in the country e.g Malawi women's parliamentary caucus instrumental in pushing for closing loopholes in child marriags laws. #GNB2018

Law is a process. You can pass a law but people may change their minds afterwards because of language. Important to learn how to phrase messages to fit context in communities. #GNB2018

'Male involvement is a concept that the women's movement must re-think. Men must not be involved to the point that they take over or re-package patriarchy! #GNB2018

Honourable Jessie Kabwila sharing her experience interacting with men in parliament who are in majority; 'A women who thinks different is regarded as emotional.' #GNB2018

Malawi's Member of Parliament Jessie Kabwila says Conferences like this one need more panels with parliamentarians to hold them accountable. Laws are useless if they are not operational. Implementation is still a problem.
Cc : @GirlsNotBrides
#GNB2018

Commercial break...
Important announcement!
LISTEN📣
@GirlsNotBrides
#GNB2018

Issues of accessibilty of parliamentarians coming up. A call being made to MPs to open up more to local NGOs like they do to international ones. Local NGOs are also on the ground fighting to #endchildmarriages #GNB2018

.@HabibaRezwana highlights the work done in Malawi to #endchildmarriages stressing the partnership between different stakeholders including Civil society, the UN & the women's parliamentary caucus in pushing for the passing of relevant laws & harmonisation. #GNB2018

Honorable Jessie Kabwila commends men who fight for women's rights & adds that the're men doing a better job than women in this work.

I say yes, as they should! Infact it must be their primary responsibility. Thank you.
#GNB2018

#TeamMalawi at #GNB2018 🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼🇲🇼

@_Nanzunga_ how about this one? #GNB2018

Next session! #GNB2018

Plan Malawi, South Sudan sharing on their work in #endingchildmarriage
'The more girl 'brides' share their experiences with girls still in schools, the more girls know the negative impact of child marriages, motivating them to stay in school.' #GNB2018

When it comes to child marriages, it seems like....
#GNB2018

Many girls feel broken, some want to end their lives after being married off young.
Food deprivation is at times used by mother-in-laws to control the girls.
Some chilling findings from Gaza on child marriages.
#GNB2018

"When the war broke, everything started to change...because of rape cases in Syria, the people started giving their daughters at 13,14 years to marry."
Some findings from Jordan.
#GNB2018

"Its an injustice to marry a small girl..."
#GNB2018

There is work to be done!
#GNB2018

Social stigma associated with sexual activities keeps coming up as one reason why girls may be pushed into marriage.
The patriarchy is hard at work is maintaining it's power to police women's bodies! #GNB2018
#

Let's join the campaign to ensure all adolescent girls are in secondary school!
Go to link and sign the petition!
lal.ngo/index.php/worl…
#GNB2018

Social assistance/cash transfer is one strategy that has been used to help families so they don't get to the desperate level of marrying off their girls in refugee settings. However there are serious funding shortages. #GNB2018

On religions leaders and child marriages, the consensus in this room is;
"THEY ARE THE PROBLEM MOST OF THE TIME"
They facilitate and even marry girls!
#GNB2018

Day 2 done with!!
#GNB2018

Day 3 already!
#GNB2018

Session on developing a holistic support package for married girls.
#GNB2018

Annabel Arulkar, CD, Population Council,Ethiopia sharing on their program for married girls.
Key component was the recruitment of female members from the community who went door to door negotiating with gatekeepers ie. Husbands & in-laws to allow girls to participate. #GNB2018

Interesting to note that the girls'program was complemented by engagement of men through recruiting husbands who met weekly & discussed issues of violence, love etc... #GNB2018

Some positive results from the married girls' groups program in Ethiopia.
#GNB2018

A call made for more programmatic support for married girls as they are also vulnerable.
Research in Ethiopia showed many girls previously married & ostracized by families have to move to urban areas to support themselves through any means necessary, usually sex work. #GNB2018

Sani Aliou, PathFinder shares on a program in Niger targeting married adolescents focusing on family planning service delivery for first time parents. #GNB2018

Interesting component of adolescents program in Niger is the deliberate targeting of the mother-in-law because they have influence over the relationship in the household. #GNB2018

Great model working in adolescent health service provision: improve supply, increase demand.
However, the problem is as demand increases, supply is not improving. #GNB2018

Young men are put under pressure to be macho and 'put their wives in their place' by family and wider society. These norms can change through on- going interventions like the examples in Ethiopia & Niger. #GNB2018

Interesting research on child marriage and divorce in Indonesia.
#GNB2018

A survival of sexual violence shares her story & work on reaching out to girls who have been through the same & bringing them together in a safe space. Social & mass media & community sensitization targeting local leaders are some strategies used to raise awareness. #GNB2018

It is clear that adolescents are not one group. Married girls are not a homogenous group. We must be conscious in our programing ensuring that we pay attention to individual stories. #GNB2018

Next session! #GNB2018

Norm and value based drivers of child marriages.
Patriarchy written all over them!
#GNB2018

Social acceptance coupled with a gap in knowledge & awareness of the law against child marriages in some rural areas acts as a driver for child marriages. #GNB2018

'To parents the girls aren not going to go & earn but get married.
When decisions are made on reducing the family's economic burdens, it is the girl who suffers.'
#GNB2018

Family honour, protection from sexual harrassment, policing girl's sexual expression (re: at puberty, before they have a chance to have a boyfriend, marry them off) as reasons for child marriages...
☝🏾norms that must die! We have to work relentlessly & consistently! #GNB2018

Norms around masculinity with regards to child marriages relate to sexuality perpetuating the idea that men are entitled to sexual pleasure.
These also lead to men looking for younger partners, easier to control etc
#GNB2018

Important to work with very young adolescent boys , young men & future husbands & married men on toxic masculinity, unequal gender norms & dangers of child marriage. #GNB2018

'It is also important to focus on policy changes e.g advocating for policies that encourage proactive role of men in care giving to go with work on the ground.' #GNB2018

'Transformative leadership is the best way to change social norms.
Reflect methodology has been proven to work for community mobilisation & transformative change.'#GNB2018

Some factors that have been known to work in some contexts to change norms and practices.
Interesting example of using mobile phones to court with no physical meetings.
#GNB2018

Some suggestions on follow up research.
Interesting one raised on weighing choices girls make to delay marriage to study.
What are the negatives & positives?
Me inside: why are there negatives?😖
#GNB2018

Some common errors in our work in changing norms to #endchildmarriages #GNB2018

'When we think of scaling up vertically working with public institutions, how do we maintain the critical reflection because gender transformative appraoches are political?'
#GNB2018

Interesting point on addressing structural divers of spousal age gap with regards to consent & agency: what are the factors limiting girls agency? How do we change that?
#GNB2018

It is coming up again & again: the need to work with boys & men.
Oky y'all, but behave your patriachial selves.
*Don't take over our narrative
*Listen to women
*Hold each other accountable
*Listen to women
*Nah, you can't say you will change on your own terms.
#GNB2018

"Using the human rights approach, we must highlight rights & responsibilities because norms don't happen in a vacuum, they're shared by parents, aunts, friends, etc"
#GNB2018

On positive messaging in changing social norms, an evaluation revealed that; 'When working with men, stressing what's in it for them is important to ensure true transformation and sustainability.'
#GNB2018

Fruit anyone?
Lunch break at #GNB2018

Want to have an honest conversation about failure in our work in ending child marriage?
Have examples to share? Come let's discuss them, demystify them & advance an agenda of
Learning from those experiences!
Session starting at 2 in room 304.
#GNB2018

Had an amazing time co-facilitating the session on learning from failures. We had a full room with such rich conversation discussing pragmatic ways of learning & moving forward in our work in #endingchildmarriage
#GNB2018
@Colom_Ale

"Our community has grown. We are no longer afraid to have difficult conversations...we have matured as a partnership that we can learn from each other and learn from mistakes." @MabelvanOranje
#GNB2018

"We gonna break even more barriers than we have done in the last seven years!" @MabelvanOranje #GNB2018

Part of the international planning teams share on the lessons and take away messages from the #GNB2018 under the meeting's obectives of connecting, learning, inspiring &aligning. #GNB2018

Some music to wrap up #GNB2018 🎵🎶

"It's up to all of us to keep up this energy. Our partnership is what we make out of it!" #GNB2018

The @GirlsNotBrides anthem takes us to the end! #GNB2018

ISSA WRAP PEOPLE!!
Thank you @GirlsNotBrides for an enriching experience! #GNB2018

@threadreaderapp unroll please