The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (CFREU) of 2000,

–  having regard to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) of 1950,

–  having regard to the Istanbul Convention of 2011,

–  Having regard to the 2013 report of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on 'Motherhood in Childhood'

–  having regard to Rule 133 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas each day 20 000 girls below the age of 18 become mothers in countries of the south;

B. whereas each year two million girls below the age of 15 give birth, resulting in a total of 7.3 million teenage mothers;

C. whereas child marriages are closely linked with forced marriages, given that the children concerned are usually coerced;

D. whereas 2000 girls born in in Italy alone, admittedly on the basis of estimates rather than reliable data, have been forced into marriage in their countries of origin;

E. whereas this is part of a broader problem encompassing gender-based discrimination and violence against women;

1.  Calls on the Commission to seek a more detailed analysis of the problem, with updated information, in order to highlight the serious social implications thereof.