Weddings are momentous occasions for the bride, groom and their families and friends. That is, of course, when they're consensual, and when both parties are of age.
As this video powerfully and painfully explains, tens of thousands of underage girls are forced into marriage every day.
On the occasion of the UN's International Day of the Girl Child, Plan Norway invited all to Norway's first official child wedding, and no one went home unmoved. Hundreds gathered both inside the church and outside, to demonstrate against the wedding — where a 12-year-old girl named Thea was to marry a 37-year-old man named Geir. Everyone present shouted a resounding, "Stop the wedding!" when the minister asked Thea whether she took Geir to be her husband.
But then, the crowd was shocked again. The young bride did something that stunned everyone.
Turns out, this was all planned out by a wonderful organization based in Norway, to spread awareness about this terrible issue. As one YouTube commenter points out, "They managed to cast more light on the matter, because we hear about child brides in poor countries very often, but not many people care, or do something about it."
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