Evidence for Accelerated Action: Global Research Agenda to Prevent and Respond to Child Marriage
Why does a shared global agenda matter?
Despite declines in child marriage, 640 million women and girls today were married as children. Progress remains too slow and uneven to meet global targets by 2030. A rapidly shifting global landscape marked by conflict, climate shocks, economic instability, and pushback on gender equality is deepening risks for girls and threatening progress.
Policymakers, practitioners, and advocates increasingly demand evidence that can drive faster, more targeted action. Yet progress is constrained by three key challenges:
- Absence of a shared set of research priorities developed through inclusive engagement;
- Limited consensus on the most strategic evidence priorities, especially around scaling effective interventions;
- Need for stronger mechanisms for translating knowledge across global and local levels.
The UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, The Child Marriage Research to Action Network, UNICEF Innocenti, WHO and key partners have steadily advanced knowledge. Yet to accelerate impact and achieve results by 2030, a renewed and inclusive research agenda-setting process is urgently needed.
Now more than ever, an inclusive and collaborative global research agenda is urgently needed to accelerate progress on ending child marriage — an agenda that reflects current realities, centres diverse voices, and defines clear, actionable priorities.
Evidence for Accelerated Action: Global Research Agenda to Prevent and Respond to Child Marriage
Process: 6 key stages
Stage 1: Defining the Process
A Steering Group is in place to define the scope, objectives, and principles of the process. Stakeholder consultations and reviews of existing methodologies inform the design of the process, complemented by peer learning and the formation of an Advisory Group to validate the final protocol.
Stage 2: Review Evidence Progress
A scoping review assesses recent evidence and research gaps, supported by the development of consultation toolkits in multiple languages. Stakeholder mapping, pilot testing of tools, and the design of a monitoring framework prepare the ground for Stage 3.
Stage 3: Identify Evidence Needs
Identify pressing research needs through national, regional, and global consultations, complemented by key informant interviews; develop a prioritised list of questions to drive impact.
Stage 4: Establish Shared Priorities
A global survey is designed, translated, and piloted to rank research questions. Results are analysed by stakeholder and regional groups, followed by the publication of a summary report and a communication strategy to share findings widely.
Stage 5: Launch Research Agenda
The agenda is launched globally through a convening event, supported by active dissemination, learning, and integration into donor and government priorities. A sustainability plan guides future updates every five years to keep the agenda relevant and actionable.
Stage 6: Drive Accelerated Action
Drive policy and practice change by strategically targeting key decision-makers to ensure strong linkages between evidence and action.
Help shape the global child marriage research agenda
Be part of a collaborative effort to identify research priorities and address the knowledge gap, in partnership with The UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, UNICEF Innocenti, WHO and key partners.
Join the Child Marriage Research to Action Network (The CRANK).