Editorial: Child bride blot - We must do better

Editorial

We like to think of ourselves as people who stand up to injustice where we see it.

Sadly, World Vision's child bride stunt this week suggested we fall short of that perception.

The charity has teamed up with the Herald to help stop the exploitation of girls abroad. Herald on Sunday columnist Kerre McIvor travelled to Asia to tell some of the heartbreaking stories where one in nine girls are married before they turn 15.

As part of the campaign, running for two weeks in the Herald, World Vision staged a wedding in Auckland with actors - a 55-year-old groom and a clearly uncomfortable teen bride (the actor was 18 but looked younger).

Some passersby turned their heads and muttered words of disgust but not one approached the newlyweds.

Hundreds witnessed the wedding photographer taking photos, and at least half walked by without a second glance.

World Vision New Zealand national director Grant Bayldon said the purpose was to "bring home" the issue of child marriage.

"When they see the same injustices happening in their own backyard, it can make the issue much more real, and people understand the need to act," Bayldon said.

And yet none acted. Why? Did they not notice? Were they wary of making a scene? Afraid they may have got the wrong end of the stick, perhaps?

Of course, this was a stunt. It doesn't prove anything.

But it does give a taste of how we feel about standing up when it might matter - and it's a bad taste.

More than 1 million children are trafficked each year worldwide; 6 per cent of women aged 20-24 were married before 15 years old; and each year, 15 million girls are married before age 18 - one girl every two seconds.

The bride actress tells us she was upset, disappointed and embarrassed that no-one tried to help. The experience left her on the brink of tears.

We can - and must - do better.

The Not for Sale campaign had, as of yesterday, raised $62,000 and runs until the end of next week.

• To donate to the Not for Sale campaign go to World Vision