mustbe HERCHOICE
Pictured is Batoma. She is 17 years old, from Mali, and in her 10th year of school. She was also featured last week in the ‘Are you listening?’ campaign. Batoma went back to school in 2019. However, due to the teacher’s strike in Mali and COVID-19, she has not been to school since mid-March and is now back living in her village. She says that school closures have encouraged parents to take girls out of school entirely or even marry their daughters.
She also says: “I ask the authorities… المزيد
Pictured is Batoma. She is 17 years old, from Mali, and in her 10th year of school. She was also featured last week in our campaign.
Batoma went back to school in 2019. However, due to the teacher’s strike in Mali and COVID-19, she has not been to school since mid-March and is now back living in her village. She says that school closures have encouraged parents to take girls out of school entirely or even marry their daughters.
She also said, “I ask the authorities to do everything they can to get back to school despite the illness, some girls are discouraged, others are left to fend for themselves and others risk being forcibly married, the school protects all children and especially us girls.”
Girls’ voices, like Batoma’s, need to be heard in the crisis response to COVID-19. Visit www.morethanbrides.org/areyoulistening to learn more!
