Deadline:November 30, 2019
Launched in 2014 by the World Bank Kenya office, the Blog4Dev competition is an annual writing contest, inviting young people to weigh in on a topic critical to the country’s economic development. The competition is a way to engage Africa’s youth and provide a platform to share their views—and solutions—about development topics that are important to them. In 2018, it became a regional competition.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence of child marriage in the world. Nearly four out of 10 young women in this region were married before the age of 18. These young girls are having their childhoods cut short, but this goes far beyond a moral issue. This situation has a negative impact on development. They are also more likely to have children at a young age, which affects their health, and they are much more likely to drop out of school and complete fewer years of education than expected. This will curb their capacity to enter the job market with the adequate skills, and therefore reducing their potential for higher income.
Estimates for 12 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa say that child marriage is costing these countries $63 billion in lost earnings and human capital wealth. Addressing the issue of child marriage is therefore a crucial development challenge for all countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
So, we want to hear from you! Share your views by answering the following question:
“What will it take to end child marriage in your country?”
Eligibilities:
To be eligible for the #Blog4Dev competition, you must:
- Be a citizen of any of the 48 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Be between the ages of 18 and 28 years of age on November 30, 2019.
- Currently reside in a Sub-Saharan African country
Prizes :
Winning authors are eligible for several prizes,
- including being invited to attend a dedicated program during the World Bank – IMF Spring Meetings 2020 in Washington DC,
- opportunities to represent Africa’s youth at high-level events,
- a chance to intern at a World Bank Africa country office,
- or an opportunity to have your blog published on the World Bank Africa blog Youth Transforming Africa.
For enquiries, contact
Blog4Dev@worldbank.org
How to apply:
Submit :
Using the links below, submit your original blog entry detailing your ideas about what it will take to end Early Child Marriage in your country, written in English, French or Portuguese by November 30, 2019.