'Child brides' suffer, but African Union seeks to end custom In Mozambique, almost half of all girls are married in their teens, despite a law banning marriage for under 18s. NGOs like UNICEF are working to discourage the practice, which sees girls leaving school to become mothers, while still children themselves. This week, politicians from across continent are joining the fight, as the African Union holds its first conference on "Ending Child Marriage in Africa". IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES.