every year, 12 million girls are married before they reach the age of 18 a practice the un has said will take 300 years to eradicate. now, three of the world s most high profile humanitarians have vowed to tackle the issue together. but is this an impossible task? i have come to join michelle obama, amal clooney and melinda french gates on their first field visit together to malawi, a country where 42% of girls marry under the age of 18, to ask them how bad the issue is and if it can be turned around in a generation. michelle obama, thank you so much for speaking to us at bbc 100 women. thank you for being here, it s my pleasure. we re here to talk about the work you are doing to end child marriage along with amal clooney and melinda french gates. why is that an issue that is important to you personally? 0h.i have said this time and time again. i see myself in the girls that we are fighting for. you know, i see my daughters in those girls. if we just.put ourselves in those