UK steps up with £18m for 12 countries to end child marriage

The United Kingdom has declared £18 million of new funding through partners UNICEF and UNFPA for 12 countries, including Bangladesh to end child marriage.

This investment will strengthen laws and policies, improve girls' access to sexual and reproductive health services, support girls to access formal and informal education, and tackle the harmful beliefs underlying child marriage, said a press release sent from British High Commission in Dhaka on Tuesday.

The earlier support for this work has already helped avert 25 million child marriages over the last decade, reports BSS.

The UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today (Tuesday) also launched a major global campaign to stop sexual violence against women and girls in conflict around the world.

Foreign Secretary announced that women and girls will be at the centre of her foreign policy priorities, with more than £20 million of new funding to help stop violence against women and girls around the world.

Speaking at an event for the Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC) - established under the UK's G7 Presidency to support women and girls around the world - the Foreign Secretary, who is also the UK's Minister for Women and Equalities, also announced that the UK will host a global conference next year to unite the world in action to prevent sexual violence in conflict.

Under the UK's Presidency, G7 countries have committed to get 40 million girls into education and this year the UK hosted the Global Partnership for Education Summit, raising o2.9bn to get children into school.

This included £430m pledged by the UK, said the release.