This photo of a young girl on UNICEF’s website shocked me, but at the same time I couldn’t look away. Mostly because her physical scars would only show a glimpse of the pain she was hiding inside. Every three seconds around the world, a girl is forced to give up school and the hope for an education in order to be married. It is widely accepted that if girls in developing countries had the chance for an education, a say in family planning and their own health, the poverty experienced in sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia and the Middle East would greatly improve. After all, many of these nations are not utilizing half of their population (females). I know that this is a topic that has probably been touched on numerous occasions, yet somehow it fades just as quickly. To think that girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan are so desperate to end their own lives when married off to often much older men, suicides rate and attempted suicides are increasing. The most ‘favoured’ method to commit suicide for these girls? Setting themselves on fire, in the hope that should they be taken to a far away hospital it would be to late to revive them. There have also been cases where girls who have survived, after recovering partly (from their physical burns) are then again returned to their husbands families.

The photo below is of Aisha, and the UNICEF website writes this about her, “July 2010: At age 10, Aisha was sent to live with her future husband, who kept her in his animal stable until she became 12. They were then married, and he regularly beat her. Aisha escaped but was imprisoned for running away, then returned to her husband. To punish her, he cut off her ears and nose, leaving her to die. She was taken to a clinic and now lives in a women’s shelter in Kabul. A foundation later paid for Aisha to have reconstructive surgery.” The photo is taken from http://www.unicef.org/photography/photo_seeme.php#UNI94652, to find out more on the subject, follow the link to UNICEF’s website. Also, have a look at Plan’s website and their plan to get more girls into education http://www.becauseiamagirl.com.au/. This isn’t a ‘proper’ post on the subject. I am just sharing with you a photo of a girl who moved me. I studied a lot on human security, which ties into this subject. I think this would be a good idea for a post, so I will look into topics to cover.

My next ‘proper’ post will be on wikileaks – what the organisation actually does, and why the U.S. is determined to get Assange. Remember to let me know what topics you would like for me to cover.  Until next time!

Miss S.