CRANK Research Meeting: What has girls’ sexuality got to do with child marriage?

This CRANK global research meeting is open to all. In it, we discussed the links between girls’ sexuality and child marriage. There was also a space for participants to share their own updates.

Photo: Girls Not Brides/Colectivo Nómada/Priscilla Mora Flores
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The Child Marriage Research to Action Network (the CRANK) held its first research meeting of 2022 to discuss the links between girls’ sexuality and child marriage. The meeting was held in English and Spanish, with simultaneous translation in English, French and Spanish.

Patriarchal norms aim to control and even exploit girls’ sexuality by limiting their autonomy and choices around sexuality, relationships, marriage and childbearing. These norms operate on multiple levels – societal, community, individual and interpersonal – restrict girls’ rights and opportunities, and drive child marriage.

To improve girls’ lives and support girls at risk of child marriage we must engage with and focus more on sexuality. The evidence shows that considering sexuality and the sexuality-related drivers of child marriage is key to addressing the practice. Sexuality must be incorporated into programmes, advocacy and policy work to increase girls’ autonomy and gender equality, and prevent child marriage.

This CRANK research meeting was a space to:

  • Discuss evidence from new publications on the links between girls’ sexuality and child marriage, and the implications for policy and practice
  • Gain insight into the forthcoming Sexuality Working Groups’ conceptual framework on sexuality and child, early and forced marriage and unions

The moderators and speakers were:

We also heard from Margaret E. Greene, Priya Das and other contributors of Shared roots, different branches: Expanding understanding of child marriage in diverse settings, and from Sarah Green and Anne Sprinkel from the Sexuality Working Group on the Child, early and forced marriage and unions and girls’ sexuality conceptual framework.

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