The Netherlands
Initiated by three child marriage alliances (Her Choice Alliance, Yes I Do Alliance and More than Brides Alliance), the Alliances of the Child Marriage Fund was formed in 2014. Girls Not Brides the Netherlands was then officially launched in November 2016. The National Partnership now has over twenty member organisations, and has two working groups which focus on child marriage in the Global South and advocacy and communications.
Girls Not Brides the Netherlands’ Expert Meeting, December 2017
Successes
Girls Not Brides the Netherlands has been instrumental in raising the issue of child marriage generating political will and support to end child marriage.
In 2018, the National Partnership worked with communities at risk of child marriage in the Netherlands, including members of the Roma, Afghan, Turkish and Pakistani communities. Community representatives spoke out against child marriage at events organised by the National Partnership.
The National Partnership has brought attention to child marriage through the Dutch media. Youth members of the Christian Democrats have called for a more thorough approach to addressing child marriage in the Netherlands through newspaper articles.
Throughout 2018 and 2019, the Global South working group (in cooperation with Share-Net International) organised five successful lectures for its members and other sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) professionals.
On behalf of Girls Not Brides the Netherlands, advocacy letters were written to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chair of the Multi-Party Parliamentarian Initiative for gender and SRHR and Members of Parliament working on foreign trade and development cooperation and embracing SDGs 3 and 5. This resulted in a motion in Parliament and the adoption of a policy paper on development cooperation. At the end of 2018, an amendment for child marriage was accepted, which led to additional funding being made available for the issue.
Structure
Girls Not Brides the Netherlands has a steering committee made up of the coordinators of the three child marriage alliances (Her Choice Alliance, Yes I Do Alliance and More than Brides Alliance).