VOA reporters around the world focused on the worth of a girl to reveal how a young bride is valued by two families: the one she leaves behind and the one she joins. And what is the cost to the girl herself of marrying before age 18? VOA news teams—representing 12 languages—posted short videos of girls and women describing their experiences as brides and young mothers. These are their stories, in their own words.

District Dadu, Pakistan

‘My father believed it was sinful’ to delay marriage

Wed at 13, a concerned mother plans a different outcome for her young daughter.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

‘I called the police officers’

After refusing to marry, a schoolgirl sought help and now champions female empowerment.

Dyersburg, Tennessee, USA

‘It is what it is’

Married at 16 to a man nearly as old as her father, a teenager builds a loving relationship that has lasted for eight years.

Karang Tengah, Indonesia

‘My parents thought this man would take care of me’

In Indonesia, former child brides push back, seek change.

More videos

Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico

‘I said yes! I knew I wanted to be with him’

In rural Chiapas State, two teenagers marry, despite their parents’ disapproval.

Herat, Afghanistan

‘We bought you’

Wed at 13, an Afghan girl eventually escapes husband and in-laws.

El Granadillo, Honduras

‘When you are part of a couple, you have more responsibility’

In Honduras, an unmarried teen lives with her partner, their daughter – and economic pressures.

Steele, Missouri, USA

‘I was excited more for the future … than I was for the present’

ln a small Missouri town, early marriages are frequent occurrences.

Helmand Province, Afghanistan

‘When I got married, I cried’

An unpaid loan in south Afghanistan turns a poor, struggling girl into collateral for marriage.

Diyarbakir, Turkey

‘With time, we got to know each other’

A forced marriage becomes a stable, happy union, but she cautions against marrying young.

Lahore, Pakistan

‘A girl should only be married off when she is mentally mature’

Dashed hopes, broken dreams leave young bride facing harsh realities.

Kalar, Iraq

‘I thought that through marriage, I would be able to finish school’

Divorce makes life difficult after an abusive marriage.

Dhaka, Bangladesh

‘If I were educated, my husband would not have left me’

Promised to a man when she was 11, a young girl is abandoned soon after her marriage.

Shkoza, Tirana, Albania

‘I didn’t know what a husband was’

A desire to save her sister’s life led to an early marriage. A desire for shelter turned her own daughter into a child bride.

Kano, Nigeria

‘After my divorce, I had a lot of success’

A failed marriage becomes a catalyst for newfound independence.

Dhaka, Bangladesh

‘I want to stand on my own two feet’

Living in a slum under physical and verbal abuse, a child bride reassesses her life.