Pray
Prayer
Child Brides
Every day approximately 25,000 underage girls are forced into marriage. One in every seven girls in developing countries is married off before the age of 15. More than 60 million girls worldwide are married before they turn 18.
“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”
Hebrews 13:4 (ESV)
In the UK there are forced marriage protection orders. However, underage marriages still take place in secret, with many girls taken to other countries to be wed.
“‘Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise,’ says the LORD; ‘I will set him in the safety for which he longs.'”
Psalm 12:5
Education is one of the most powerful tools to delay the age at which a girl will marry. The longer a young girl stays in school, the less likely she is to marry and have children during her teenage years.
Pray
Pray that people, especially those in authority, would not turn a blind eye and allow this to continue. God hates injustice and will someday punish it.
Pray
Pray that girls will be allowed to stay in school. As they are educated, they develop the knowledge and confidence to assert “whom,” “if,” and “when” they will marry.
Compassionate Action
Girls Not Brides is a global partnership committed to ending the harmful traditional practice of child marriage. Another organization, Global Charity Plan has a petition against early and forced marriages. Lastly, think about joining the Equality Action Network to get alerts and updates about campaigns.
Violence, trafficking and gender discrimination are on the increase for millions of girls and women living in the 21st Century. SOS: Save Our Sisters is a simple, but powerful guide to human rights issues that affect half our world’s population.
This book goes beyond highlighting the ugly facts about female infanticide, child brides, girl soldiers, female genital mutilation, “honor” killings and other abuses. Its purpose is to inspire individuals and churches to prayer and action that can help turn the tide.
Open these pages at your own risk! Once God infects you with His passion for the powerless, you will never be the same.
Faces of Injustice
Another very helpful prayer resource is our Faces of Injustice Prayer guide. This guide brings to light some of the dark injustices people face in the world, while giving you specific ways to pray into these issues.
Find out other ways to get involved with Freedom Challenge Africa here!
