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'I was playing outside when my mother told me I would marry. My life was ruined': Ethiopian child bride, forced into marriage at 10, pregnant at 13 and widowed by 14, on the moment her world changed forever

Alemtsahye Gebrekidan was 10 when she married a boy of 16

She later became pregnant and gave birth to her son at the age of 13

Her husband was killed fighting in Ethiopia's civil war when she was 14

Now 38, she lives in London and campaigns against child marriage

New life: Alemtsahye Gebrekidan was married off at the age of 10 but now lives in London

Alemtsahye Gebrekidan was 10 when her childhood came to an abrupt end. 'I was playing outside and my mum called me inside to the house,' she remembers of the day her world changed forever.

'She said "you're going to marry". I was surprised and I cried but I didn't say anything to them [her parents].' Her wedding, to a boy of 16, took place just two months later.

Shocking though it might seem, her experience is by no means unique. According to World Health Organisation figures, 14.2 million girls under the age of 15 are forced into marriage each year.

Most come from India, the Middle East, and like Alemtsahye herself, from sub-Saharan Africa - Niger, Chad, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia among them.

The consequences are appalling. Along with an education and childhood cut short, girls suffer a traumatic initiation into sexual relationships, are put at risk of domestic violence and STI's, and have the chance of a career or better life taken away.

Worse, many also die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications - the leading cause of death for girls aged between 15 and 19 years old in developing countries, according to UN figures.'

Child marriage is an appalling violation of human rights and robs girls of their education, health and long-term prospects,' comments Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of UNFPA. 

The end of childhood: A child bride is pictured in Tanzania. Alemtsayhe Gebrekidan has told of how she suffered a similar fate when she married age 10

Problem: Early marriage, such as this one taking place in Malawi, are the fate 14.2 million girls every year

'A girl who is married as a child is one whose potential will not be fulfilled.'

It's a view with which Alemtsahye agrees. Now 38 and living in London, she says she still feels angry with her parents at times and says her life was 'ruined' by her early marriage.

Work: After her marriage, Alemtsahye left school and spent her time on chores such fetching water instead

CHILD MARRIAGE: THE FACTS

One third of the world’s girls are married before the age of 18 

One in nine are married before the age of 15.

If present trends continue, 142 million girls will be married before their 18th birthday over the next decade. That’s an average of 14.2 million girls each year

Girls living in poor households are almost twice as likely to marry before 18 than girls in higher income households.

The 20 countries where child weddings are most common and the percentage of girls involved

Difficult: Like this child bride, photographed in Uganda's Katakwi district, Alemtsahye had her son at 13

Devastating: A Derg convoy lies destroyed on the roadside in Tigray following vicious fighting in 1990

CHILD BRIDE HOTSPOTS: COUNTRIES WITH WORST RECORD OF FORCING EARLY MARRIAGE

1. Niger

2. Chad

3. Central African Republic

4. Bangladesh

5. Guinea

6. Mozambique

7. Mali

8. Burkina Faso

9. South Sudan

10. Malawi

11. Madagascar

12. Eritrea

13. India

14. Somalia

15. Sierra Leone

16. Zambia

17. Dominican Republic

18. Ethiopia

19. Nepal

20. Nicaragua 

Source: UNICEF

Children: Alemtsahye says parents should allow their daughters to have a childhood and be educated

Global problem: India is the country with the highest number of child brides, this little girl among them

UNFPA presents an intimate look at child brides

'I told him: "Never ever think to marry young! I wanted him to get educated so I said to him: "look at me, I am your mother, look at everything that messed up my life!"'

Barbarous: The rule of Menghistu Haile Mariam and the Derg brought years of bloodshed to Ethiopia

With Ethiopians of all political hues preparing for war, 1977 brought a respite, ironically enough, in the shape of a Somali invasion.

Although the Derg was able to see off the Somali attack, it was forced to retreat and regroup, while in remote regions such as Tigray, rebel groups began to form.