There are an estimated 614,000 people living in conditions of modern slavery in Ethiopia (GSI 2018). Child marriage remains a deeply rooted tradition in Ethiopian communities with two in five girls being married before their 18th birthday. Child marriage is perpetuated in the country by poverty, lack of access to education and an absence of economic opportunities. Moreover, 80% of women have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting, with over half of these circumcisions occurring before a girl's first birthday.
Debitu was 14 years old when she was forced in to marriage.
I didn’t want to get pregnant because I was very small. I wanted to wait until I am old enough.
Sometimes I think I will die.
I have never got help from anywhere until now. I don’t know of anyone who would help me.
[crying]
Narrative produced and provided by Too Young to Wed
