In Ethiopia, UN Women and partners fight gender-based violence.

Date31 August 2023

Mengistie Tegenie's four sisters were married before the age of 18. Bright and academically gifted, their schooling-like that of many young women in Ethiopia-stopped after their arranged marriages.

During his first year at university, Tegenie says he felt guilty that he was able to continue his studies while his sisters were not. For many young women, he adds, child marriage doesn't just block them from career opportunities; it comes with the added risk of gender-based violence (GBV).

'I saw the impact of child marriage on all our lives, especially for women and girls who are disproportionately affected by violence. I knew it's the men who also must speak up; that I'd have to be the one to make the change.'

Today, Tegenie, a GBV specialist for...

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