A/RES/73/153 Child, early and forced marriage importance of removing structural barriers that prevent their access to services that respond to their specific needs, Noting with concern that child, early and forced marriage disproportionally affects girls who have received little or no formal education and is itself a significant obstacle to educational opportunities and the development of employable skills for girls and young women, in particular girls who are forced to drop out of school owing to pregnancy, marriage, childbirth and/or childcare responsibilities, and that educational possibilities and opportunities are directly related to the empowerment of women and girls, their employment and economic opportunities and their active participation in economic, social and cultural development, governance and decisionmaking, Noting with concern also that, despite gains in providing access to education, girls are still more likely than boys to remain excluded from primary and secondary education, and recognizing that the attendance of girls at school can be affected by negative perceptions of menstruation and lack of means to maintain safe personal hygiene, such as water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools that meet the needs of girls, Recognizing that child, early and forced marriage remains a serious threat to multiple aspects of the physical and psychological health of women and girls, including but not limited to their sexual and reproductive health, significantly increasing the risk of early, frequent and unintended pregnancy, maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, obstetric fistula and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and AIDS, as well as increasing vulnerability to all forms of violence, Recognizing also that the incidence and risk of child, early and forced marriage can increase during humanitarian emergencies, situations of forced displacement, armed conflict and natural disasters because of various factors, including insecurity, increased risks of sexual and gender-based violence, the misconception of providing protection through marriage, gender inequality, lack of access to continuous, quality education, the stigmatization of pregnancy outside marriage, the absence of family planning services, disruption in social networks and ro utines, increased poverty and the absence of livelihood opportunities, and that this requires increased attention, appropriate protection measures and coordinated action by relevant stakeholders, with the full and meaningful participation of the women and girls affected, from the early stages of humanitarian emergencies, and recognizing further the importance of addressing the increased vulnerability of women and girls to sexual and gender -based violence and exploitation in those situations, Recognizing further that preventing and ending child, early and forced marriage and supporting married girls and women affected by this harmful practice require appropriate gender- and age-sensitive protection, prevention and response measures, as well as coordinated action by relevant stakeholders, and that existing gaps in the collection and use of reliable data and evidence remain a major challenge for programming and informing appropriate measures and actions, 1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General; 12 2. Calls upon States, with the participation of relevant stakeholders, including women and girls, men and boys, parents and other family members, teachers, religious, traditional and community leaders, civil society, organizations led by girls, women’s organizations, youth and human rights groups, the media and the private sector, to develop and implement holistic, comprehensive and coordinated responses and strategies to prevent and eliminate child, early and forced marriage, to __________________ 12 4/9 A/73/257. 18-22209