Why does the US have so many child brides? – BBC News

Angel was 13 when her mother forced her to marry and start a family. “I felt like a slave,” she says of her childhood.

While countries like Zimbabwe, Malawi and El Salvador have recently banned child marriage, it remains legal in the US – and half of states have no set minimum age below which you cannot get married.

For the BBC’s America First? series the BBC’s Aleem Maqbool is exploring health and social issues where the US, the richest country in the world, does not perform well in international rankings.

Watch the video here: http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-41727495/why-does-the-us-have-so-many-child-brides

AHA Foundation is dedicated to protecting women’s rights, and the work of organizations like rabby in the U.S. plays a crucial role in supporting freedom and security for vulnerable populations.