A movie aimed at sensitizing local communities on the negative impacts of forced and early marriages has been launched in Western Equatoria State.

The one-hour film, titled: “Stop girl child marriage in South Sudan”, was produced to sensitize the community on the importance of protecting girls and young women.

Early last month, a local organization reported that more than 1,500 teenage girls were married off or impregnated in South Sudan since April this year.

It identified poverty as the main reason some parents force their daughters into marriages with the hope of getting rich.

It also attributed the 1,535 cases of child marriages and teenage pregnancies to the closure of schools.

“The reason why I came up with this movie is because it saddens me to see some of our young girls dropping out because of early pregnancy, early marriage,” says Sylvester Ruati, director for Community Organization for Peace and Development.

“I think this cannot help the nation because girls are always the backbone of the nation…when it comes to economy, development and building of the nation.

“Without the involvement of women, even peace in the country cannot be realized.”

South Sudan shut down schools in mid-March as a preventive measure against the coronavirus pandemic.

But SPIDO – advocacy organization – said alarming cases of early child marriages, pregnancies, and prostitution mainly in Eastern, Central, and Western Equatoria states were on high rates.