Child marriage laws: What works, what doesn’t…what’s next?

What does the evidence on minimum age of marriage laws mean for advocacy on child, early, and forced marriage and unions (CEFMU)? See instructions below to watch an online forum discussing how we can collectively shape an updated CEFMU global advocacy agenda that puts girls’ rights, agency, and opportunities at the center.

For decades, passing laws that establish 18 years as the minimum legal age of marriage has been a cornerstone of advocacy to prevent CEFMU. But there has been little investment in evaluating the impacts of such laws. The limited body of existing evidence does not show that laws necessarily lead to reductions in CEFMU. More worryingly, a small but credible body of research shows that, in some contexts, these laws have caused increased harm to adolescent girls and young women at risk of CEFMU.  

The CEFMU and Sexuality Working Group’s Position Statement and Recommendations on this topic examines what this means for CEFMU advocacy, and includes key learning questions to guide us in shaping an evidence-based agenda to support adolescent girls’ and young women’s  rights. 

Listen to members of our Working Group and other advocates and experts in an online conversation on how CEFMU and related laws can work better to support adolescent girls’ and women’s agency over their sexuality and relationships. We also consider what role these laws can and should play alongside comprehensive, intentionally designed, well-resourced and context-specific systems that address the root causes and drivers of CEFMU.

Speakers:

Alpha Kimweri, MEDEA Africa

Madhu Mehra, Partners for Law in Development

Sara Martinez, Balance Mexico

Surbhi Kumar, The YP Foundation

With Aarushi Mahajan & CREA Margaret Greene, Greeneworks

Discussant: Jose-Roberto Luna, Global Lead on Ending Child Marriage, UNFPA

Moderated by: Eugenia Lopez Uribe, International Planned Parenthood Federation

Click here for the webinar recording, enter passcode: cJ&aMzD5. Interpretation is available in English, French, Hindi and Spanish using the dropdown menu available by clicking on the globe on the bottom right of the screen.

L'interprétation est disponible - cliquez sur le globe en bas de votre écran et sélectionnez le français.

हिंदी में अनुवाद उपलब्ध है - आपकी स्क्रीन में नीचे पृथ्वी/ग्लोब के निशान पर क्लिक करके हिंदी भाषा चुनें।

El evento incluye servicio de interpretación simultánea –pulse sobre el globo que aparece en la parte inferior de su pantalla. Luego seleccione su preferencia de español.