Every year, 2 million girls give birth before the age of 15, according to the United Nations Population Fund. That's about 5,500 very young girls who become mothers each day — before their bodies are ready. Becoming a mother too young can involve huge health risks, including fistula (a hole between the vagina and the rectum caused by prolonged labor), and in some cases, even death. Research by the UNFPA shows that very young teenagers in low- and middle-income countries are twice as likely to develop fistulas and die during childbirth than older teens and women.
Aside from the serious health problems they face during pregnancy and childbirth, once girls have their babies, many drop out of school, and suffer in silence. In fact, millions of child mothers remain invisible, excluded from national and global statistics, which deem the reproductive age of girls and women to be between 15 and 49 years old.
This week, global leaders, civil society organisations, and nonprofit groups are gathering together for the Women Deliver conference, a chance to tackle some of the pressing issues that girls face in the modern world, including the plight of child mothers.
Earlier this year, photographer and filmmaker, Pieter ten Hoopen, and I met with child mothers from around the world and asked them to share their stories. The results are moving, harrowing, insightful, and hopeful. These photographs will also be displayed around the world as part of Plan International and the UNFPA's #ChildMothers awareness initiative.
Ahead, these girls share their powerful stories and hope for the future.
Caption: Ana*, 15, lives with her daughter, Karen*, 4 months, parents, and two sisters in a violent neighbourhood in a large city in Colombia.
Editor's note: Sofia Klemming Nordenskiöld is a journalist and Plan International Sweden press officer. All photos and captions were provided by Plan International. *All names have been changed by Plan International for protection purposes.
Thandiwe*, 15, lives with her daughter, Anna*, 9 months, as well as her husband and her in-laws in a remote village in Zambia.
"I still don't feel ready to be a mother because I didn't expect to have a child now. Before I was pregnant, I was in the sixth grade. I wanted to become a chef and work in town. Then I met a boy who was in the ninth grade. We didn't have a relationship, we only met about five times, that's all. I was scared when I found out I was pregnant. When my parents knew about it, they brought me to my husband's house and just left me. I didn't want to go there, but they forced me to marry him," she said.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Thandiwe, her husband, and their daughter, Anna. When Thandiwe was pregnant, she had to leave school and marry the father of her child.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Amira*, 15, lives with her two children, Samer*, 1, and Amal*, 12 days, and husband in a refugee camp in Jordan. She had to stop attending school because of the war in her home country of Syria. Amira got married at 13. Her two children were born at the maternity clinic in the camp.
"It's so hard to take care of a child when you're a child yourself. For example, I'm not sure if I should be carrying my children all the time. Plus, I have to take care of my husband, too. I don't have any free time for myself. My children take up much more time than all the housekeeping. My newborn baby cries a lot. Sometimes I don't know why he's crying. He just does," Amira said.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Amira cares for her newborn baby, Amal, at the refugee camp where she now lives.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Amira, her husband, and their two children fled the war in Syria and now live in a refugee camp in Jordan.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Amira gave birth to two children by the time she was 15. Girls and teenagers who become mothers too young are at greater risk for health problems because their bodies are not ready to give birth.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Amira takes care of 12-day-old Amal.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Amira in her room at the refugee camp in Jordan, where both of her children were born.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Amira and her baby, Amal.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Mulenga*, 14, lives with her daughter, parents, her father's second wife, and ten siblings in a remote village in Zambia.
"It's difficult being a mother. I don't have time to play anymore. My daughter often cries, and I have to stay at home and take care of her and wash nappies. Before I had a baby, I used to play and go wherever I wanted. I like playing football."
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Mulenga with her baby daughter. She used to go to school, and wanted to become a doctor, until her mother discovered she was pregnant.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Mulenga holds her daughter.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Mulenga shares a home with parents, her father's second wife, her 10 siblings, and now, her infant daughter.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Anita* was forced to marry when she was 13 years old, and got pregnant at 14. Her delivery was very difficult, and when she finally got to a hospital, her son was dead and she had been badly injured. Anita ended up with a form of fistula that results in involuntary discharge of urine.
"I feel so sad. My baby died in labour and I'm still in such pain, I can't walk properly. I was in the hospital for 12 days afterwards because of my injuries. After my delivery, I had no control [over] when I urinated. Lying down in bed, I don't leak. But as soon as I get up and take a step, I urinate. I wet my clothes and everything. I worry if I'll ever get well," Anita said.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Anita now lives with her husband and in-laws in a rural village in Bangladesh.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Anita is one of many young mothers who develop fistulas during prolonged labour. Because many young girls' pelvises and birth canals are still growing, they are at higher risk for complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Keya*, 14, lives with her husband, Jahangir*, 21, son, Rahim*, 2 months, and in-laws in an urban slum area in Bangladesh. Keya and her husband fell in love and wanted to get married against their parents' wishes when she was 13 years old. Due to excessive blood loss, Keya almost lost her life during the delivery.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
"When I got married at 13, I was happy. I only went to school for one year because my family was so poor. I had spent many years at home helping my mother with the household chores. I got to know my husband from our neighbourhood and knew I wanted to marry him. I became pregnant two months later. I wanted to have a child. When I first felt the labor pains, I didn't tell anyone. My mother-in-law asked me if I was feeling sick, and I said I was. She tried her best to deliver my baby for me, but she couldn't do it by herself. Then my mother came and took me to the local clinic," Keya said.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Ana*, 15, lives with her daughter, Karen*, 4 months, parents, and two sisters in a violent neighbourhood in a large city in Colombia. She was in eighth grade when she became pregnant by her boyfriend, who left her soon after. Ana got preeclampsia in her last trimester and urgently needed medical care. The condition is typically marked by high blood pressure.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
After giving birth, Ana was able to continue studying.
"I am back in school again, and during the day, my aunt helps me take care of Karen since my parents are working. It's hard to study and be a mother at the same time. I have to do my homework, wash Karen's clothes, and bathe her. It can be complicated. I need to finish my studies. I want to study hard to become a professional and give something back to my daughter."
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Ana holds her 4-month-old daughter, Karen.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Some of the toys in the home Ana, her parents, her two sisters, and her daughter share.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Ana holds Karen while doing household chores. She said it's challenging to find time to do her schoolwork while also taking care of her baby.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Ana and Karen at home.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Poko*, 15, lives with her son, Tiga*, 3, parents, grandmother, and aunt in an urban area in Burkina Faso. She got pregnant when she was 12 years old and almost died during childbirth. Her family is very poor, so they cannot pay the school fees for Poko to continue her education.
"I was 12 when I got pregnant. At the time, I didn't know anything about these things. One day, a guy I used to meet wanted me to come to his place. I did not know why, but he said that when the night came, we could sleep together. I went there and he had sex with me. It was my first time," Poko said.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
For the past five years, Elianne* has lived with her father and two siblings in a camp for internally displaced people following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Elianne became pregnant with her boyfriend's child and had to leave school. When she was seven months pregnant, she gave birth to a son who died shortly after.
"I was seven months pregnant when I felt a pain in my lower belly. After a week, I decided to go to [the] hospital to see what was wrong. Each hospital I went to refused me because they said my condition was very serious, and that the baby or I could die during delivery."
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Elianne and her family have not been able to return to where they used to live, since the 2010 earthquake.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Elianne in the camp for internationally displaced people where she has lived for the past six years.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Aïssa*, 15, lives with her daughter, Fati*, 13 months, mother, and two sisters in a rural area in Burkina Faso. She was sexually abused by her teacher when she was 14, and became pregnant as a result. The teacher was later suspended for one year. Gender-based violence against girls in and around school is a global problem. Many girls get pregnant because of the abuse of their teachers or male peers at school.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
"I was 14 when I got pregnant. It was after my primary school exam. I called my teacher to find out about my results. Ever since he got my number, he kept calling and asked me to come and see him. I said I wouldn't go. Then one day, he threatened me and said that if I didn't come, I would have a problem. So I got frightened and went there to get the results of my exam. Then he raped me," Aïssa said.
Photo courtesy of Pieter ten Hoopen/Plan International/UNFPA.
Aïssa bathes her daughter, Fati.
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