Early marriage is the marriage of children and adolescents under the age of 18. Causes: According to UNICEF's Innocenti Research Center, the "practice of marrying girls at a young age is more common in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia". There are specific parts of West Africa, East Africa, and South Asia where pre-puberty marriages are not uncommon. However, the Center also notes that marriage soon after puberty is common among those living traditional lifestyles in the Middle East, North Africa and other parts of Asia. Marriages of teenage girls between the ages of sixteen and eighteen are common in parts of Latin America and Eastern Europe. Some are forced into this union, others are simply too young to make an informed decision. Consent is given by someone else on behalf of the child. The child does not have the opportunity to exercise his right to choose. For this reason, early marriages are also called forced marriages. In its most extreme form, forced marriages are the result of abductions. In Uganda, girls are kidnapped and forced to marry senior leaders of the guerrilla movement known as the Lord's Resistance Army. Marriages are used as a reward and incentive for male soldiers. There are a number of reasons why the tradition of child marriage continues. Fear of HIV infection has encouraged men in many countries to seek younger “partners.” Child marriage is one way to ensure that girls are “protected”. Families in rural Albania encourage their daughters to marry early to avoid the threat of kidnapping. In conflict-torn Somalia, families marry their daughters to militia members in exchange for protection for the girl, as well as themselves. Where poverty is acute, early marriage is also seen as a strategy for economic survival. In Iraq, child marriage is on the rise in response to poverty caused by economic sanctions imposed on the country. In situations like this, the risk of exploitation is great. A recent study of five poor villages in Egypt, for example, found that young girls were married off to much older men from oil-rich Middle Eastern countries through intermediaries. Many girls are forced to marry early and suffer from prolonged domestic violence. Furthermore, early marriage is often linked to wife abandonment. This throws girls into extreme poverty and increases… middle of paper… cases of domestic violence have been committed against wives under the age of 18. Improvements: Prevention of this practice occurs through education of women. parents and children – married or not – on the dangers of early marriage. UNICEF has launched two programs to address the problem in South Asia and Africa, the two regions with the highest rates of child marriage in the world. In South Asia, UNICEF runs the Meena Initiative, which educates people about the dangers of preferring boys and focuses on the unfair treatment girls receive at home and their lack of access to health care and instruction. The initiative also seeks to raise awareness about harmful traditional practices such as dowry, sexual harassment and child marriage. In Africa, UNICEF launched a radio program called Sara Adolescent Girl Communication Initiative in ten countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. The program implores its listeners to keep girls in school. It also covers topics such as HIV/AIDS, women's domestic responsibilities, female genital mutilation and child marriage. For more information on UNICEF programs