December 18, 2014 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement after a Canada-Zambia led UN resolution on child, early and forced marriage was adopted by consensus by the General Assembly with 116 co-sponsors:
“Today marks another turning point in our fight to end the practice of child, early and forced marriage. This community of nations spoke unequivocally for the need to protect young girls, and secure their futures.
“Whether it is through the Canadian-led Maternal, Newborn and Child Health initiative or the African Union’s regional campaign to end child marriage, the world is coming around to realizing the true potential of women and girls.
“Canada’s efforts to end the practice of child, early and forced marriage do not end here; this is merely the beginning. With the backing of the international community of this resolution, the focus must now be on achieving real change in every single community where young girls are being denied a future.
“As we approach the post-2015 development agenda negotiations, the world needs to ensure that that maternal, newborn and child health remains a top development priority and that ending child, early and forced marriage features prominently.
“We welcome the international community’s commitment to these efforts, and we look to them to provide leadership at home and abroad, so young girls can realize their true potential.”
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