AFRICA, March 7 -- AFRICA is home to approximately 160 million adolescent girls aged 10 to 19 (according to 2022 data by the United Nations Population Division). They embody the energy, creativity, and potential of the continent.

It is undeniable that The Africa We Want, as envisioned in the African Unions Agenda 2063, will not be realized without the full participation of this group which represents a key component of the continents current and future workforce.

Yet one of the most persistent obstacles to realizing this vision is the prevalence of child marriage and its devastating impact on the lives and welfare of Africas girls, and its negative impact on the economic potential of the continent.

Child marriage is one of the most und...