Every year, 12 million girls marry before the age of 18. The practice is rooted in gendered social norms and unequal relationships between women and men. It is made worse by poverty, low levels of education, and social and economic insecurity. It is also closely linked with adolescent pregnancy. Child marriage will persist if we do not consider the intersecting factors – from the individual to the global level – that put girls at risk.
Over recent months, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage has compiled several new briefs and spotlights sharing key evidence and recommendations for developing comprehensive, gender-transformative approaches to child marriage that respond to different contexts. You can find them in our Resource Centre, and directly through the links below.
An intersectional approach to child marriage: Multiple aspects of girls’ identities – including gender, age, class, race, ethnicity and citizenship – intersect and create unique experiences of discrimination and privilege. This thematic brief uses an intersectional approach to explore the factors that increase a girl’s individual risk of child marriage. It includes recommendations for an inclusive approach to child marriage prevention and response, tailored to advocates, policy makers, practitioners and researchers.
Supporting married girls, adolescent mothers and girls who are pregnant: With 90% of adolescent births taking place within the context of marriage, adolescent pregnancy and child marriage are closely linked. This thematic brief (and longer paper) explores the rights and complex needs of married girls, adolescent mothers and girls who are pregnant, sharing successful approaches and multi-sectoral recommendations from around the world.
Cash transfers and child marriage: As part of a comprehensive approach, social protection – especially cash transfer programmes – can help mitigate the economic and social drivers of child marriage. This thematic brief (and longer paper) explores the relationship between poverty, education and child marriage practices in different contexts. It offers guidance for advocates, policy makers and practitioners to ensure cash transfer programmes contribute to ending child marriage.
“Child marriage in humanitarian settings” and “challenging gender norms to end child marriage”: This research spotlight covers evidence on girl-led and girl-centred research in humanitarian settings, and evidence on challenging gender norms to end child marriage. It includes key takeaways from studies featured by the Child Marriage Research to Action Network (the CRANK) and recommendations for further reading on these topics; it supports evidence-based uptake by advocates, policy makers, practitioners, researchers and donors.
Whatever your role, we hope these resources are useful in your work to end child marriage.