UNICEF

Hello everybody! First of all, I want to thank the president of UNICEF for inviting me to this conference.

I'm here, today, in order to talk about an extreme situation in India: child marriage.

But first, I need to explain my own situation. My name is Rekha Kalindi, I'm 12 years old and I live in Bararola Village. Like every little girl in India, I was destined to get married. Of course, I didn’t miss it. There are few months, my father wanted to compel me to get married. In India, the younger girls marry, the lower the dowry is. That’s why my father wanted to marry me. I couldn’t live my dreams. I can't study, travel, work, or have fun because I must get married, have children, and so on... And of course, I had to close my mouth! I am lucky to be alive. Yes, because in India, to have a girl is like a burden for the parents. Consequently, parents prefer to have boys. Sometimes, when the parents have a girl, they kill her! You understand now why I said «I am lucky to be alive». So, when my father said: “Rekha, you must get married” I said no! I decided to change that: for me, and also for all the others girls. Normally, at this age, every little girl must play with her dolls. My sister, now 15 years old, got married at 12 years old and has already had four dead babies. I really thought about my sister and I decided to change the destiny of all girls. But to change that, I need you! I need your help! I can't do this alone! Together, we can change the world and give for every little girl a chance to live their dreams! And now I would like to say thank you! Thank you for listening. If I can change the world, it is thanks to you!

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