Awareness Session for Displaced Families Highlights the Risks of Child Marriage

Volunteers in Tawila locality, North Darfur State, organized an awareness session for displaced people focusing on the risks of gender-based violence, with particular emphasis on child marriage and its health, psychological, and social consequences.

The session aimed to raise awareness about the harmful effects of early marriage, emphasize the importance of protecting girls and safeguarding their right to education and healthy development in a safe environment, and educate participants about harmful practices associated with gender-based violence and ways to prevent them.

The event was organized by HOPE Organization, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and with support from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), as part of community awareness programs designed to strengthen the protection of vulnerable groups in displacement settings.

Speaking to Mashaweer, Ridwan Ali, a representative of HOPE Organization, said the session was part of a series of community activities aimed at promoting awareness of the rights of women and girls and encouraging local communities to reject harmful practices.

He stressed that investing in awareness among families and communities is a fundamental step toward protecting children and girls and fostering a safer environment within displacement camps.

For her part, Tasabih Yahya, one of the participants, told Mashaweer that the session provided an open space for discussion and the exchange of ideas about the challenges facing girls. She added that it had helped increase awareness of the risks of child marriage and its long-term consequences.