In Mexico, child, early and forced marriages and unions (CEFMU) are neither a practice of the past nor isolated cases occurring only in certain territories. They remain a reality, particularly among children and adolescents facing multiple forms of structural inequality. Despite legal reforms, such as the prohibition of child marriage since 2019, these unions — most of them informal — persist and are difficult to document, rendering those affected even more invisible.
This data report seeks to provide information to advance towards comprehensive public policies that centre autonomy, education, access to sexual and reproductive health, and the strengthening of community care networks. It presents a recent analysis of CEFMU in Mexico based on three main sources: the 2021 ENDIREH survey and the 2024 birth registry, cross-referencing variables such as age, type of union, schooling, violence, Indigenous language and child and early motherhood.
Findings confirm that the youngest adolescents, particularly in rural or low-income contexts, face higher risks of early unions and multiple rights violations. Punitive measures have not been a solution: in some cases, they deepen exclusion and penalise those already living in vulnerable conditions. What is needed are intersectional, non-punitive policies and actions that address the structural causes of this issue and guarantee real alternatives for children and adolescents.