Because at their home country, they are not respected. Although forced and early marriage is illegal in Burkina Faso, over 52% of the girls get married before they turn 18 and 10% before 15 - according to a UNICEF report. In extreme cases, In Burkina Faso, some girls were as young as 11 when they were forced to enter into a marriage with a spouse who could be even 30 to 50 years older than the bride. >> Watch Amnesty International's video. In Burkina Faso, women and girls are far too often prevented from making other crucial decisions, such as whether or when to get pregnant. When women raise the issue of birth control with their partners, they very often suffer verbal abuse or physical violence. “Once married, girls are expected to have children as soon as possible. Early pregnancies greatly increase the risk of girls dying or experiencing life-changing physical injuries," says Alioune Tine, Amnesty International’s Regiona...
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