Theory of Change

Learn about our Theory of Change to end child marriage: its four pillars, how to use it, how to measure progress, examples of successful approaches, and how we created it

Download the Theory of Change

Every year 12 million girls are married before the age of 18

We want to see a world in which girls can choose if, when, and whom to marry. A world in which girls and women enjoy equality with boys and men, and are empowered to reach their full potential.

There is no single solution to end child marriage, but there are a number of steps that can lead to a better future for girls.

Our Theory of Change shows the range of approaches needed to address child marriage, and the role everyone has to play to end the harmful practice. In it, we stress the importance of long-term, sustainable interventions that are coordinated, well-resourced and the result of shared learning.

The purpose of our Theory of Change

Inform and inspire more work to end child marriage. Our Theory of Change provides a guide, whether you are addressing the issue already and wish to develop your work further, or are new to it and considering how your work can contribute.

Facilitate partnership and collaboration among all those who have a role to play – from the grassroots to government, local to international, civil society to donors.

Serve as a foundation to build consensus about actions needed to address child marriage and support married girls.

How to use our Theory of Change

You can use this tool to:

  1. Support your advocacy efforts
  2. Inform your programmes
  3. Demonstrate the impact of your work and mobilise resources
  4. Identify and foster new partnerships
  5. Inform national frameworks or strategies to end child marriage

The four pillars of our Theory of Change

Empower girls

A wide range of programmes invest in girls, their agency and participation and their well-being. Girls “own” their rights.

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Mobilise families and communities

Families, communities and young people are engaged to change attitudes and behaviours related to child marriage

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Provide services

Services across sectors reinforce one another and are tailored to the specific needs of girls at risk of child marriage and married girls

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Establish and implement laws and policies

A robust legal and policy framework for preventing child marriage and supporting married girls is in place and effectively enforced

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Downloads

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