Ending Child Marriage: Community-Based Solutions

One in three of the world’s child brides lives in India¹. This staggering statistic highlights the urgent need to address the global crisis of child marriage, a practice that robs girls of their childhood and perpetuates a cycle of gender inequality. However, a growing movement of community-based solutions is emerging as a powerful force in the fight to end this harmful practice.

Contents

From grassroots initiatives in rural villages to youth-led advocacy campaigns in urban centers, communities around the world are coming together to empower girls, challenge social norms, and advocate for legal and policy reforms. These community-based solutions are demonstrating that when local stakeholders are engaged and empowered, sustainable progress can be made in ending child marriage.

Key Takeaways

Community-based solutions are a powerful approach to ending child marriage by engaging local stakeholders and addressing root causes.
Grassroots initiatives and youth empowerment programs are driving progress in challenging social norms and protecting girls’ rights.
Comprehensive strategies that combine education, economic support, and legal advocacy are essential for creating lasting change.
Collaboration between community-based organizations, government, and other stakeholders is key to scaling up successful interventions.
Addressing the intersecting issues of child marriage, such as gender inequality, poverty, and access to education, is crucial for holistic and sustainable solutions.

What is Child Marriage?

Child marriage, also known as early marriage, is a practice that involves the formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child². Girls are disproportionately affected, with 1 in 5 young women aged 20 to 24 years old married before their 18th birthday, compared to 1 in 30 young men². Child marriage is a violation of child rights and negatively impacts the health, education, and future of girls².

Defining Child Marriage

Child marriage is a widespread global issue, with 12 million girls under the age of 18 being coerced or sold into marriage every year². This practice continues to be prevalent, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia².

Prevalence and Impact

The impact of child marriage is far-reaching, with pregnancy and childbirth being the leading cause of death in young women aged 15–19². The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated the issue, with an additional 13 million girls at risk of being forced into marriage due to the economic and social disruptions caused by the crisis². Despite these challenges, there have been some successful interventions, such as the campaign in Malawi that resulted in an amendment to the country’s marriage act, changing the minimum age of consent for both genders to 18².

Additionally, community-based initiatives, such as the establishment of child protection committees in Ghana, have rescued 25 girls from child marriage in the past five years². Faith-based organizations have also played a role, with 85% of imams trained by World Vision’s Faith in Social Change project in Afghanistan speaking publicly on women’s rights and child protection². These examples demonstrate the potential for community-led solutions to address the complex issue of child marriage².

Indicator	Data	Source
Global child marriage prevalence	21% of girls are married while they are still children	³
Child marriages prevented in the last decade	About 25 million child marriages have been prevented	³
Additional girls at risk of child marriage by 2030 due to COVID-19	10 million girls are at risk	³
Zonta’s contributions to end child marriage	$2 million to delay early marriage in Niger (2014-2018), $3.5 million to the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme (2018-2022), and $1.2 million to UNICEF USA (2022-2024)	³
Outcomes of the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme Phase I	8 million adolescent girls reached with life skills and school support, 39 million individuals engaged in community-based behavior change, and 26,000 schools strengthened their adolescent girl-friendly education	³

The data presented highlights the global prevalence of child marriage, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the efforts of organizations like Zonta International and the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to address this critical issue³. These statistics demonstrate the urgent need for continued action and collaboration to end child marriage and protect the rights and futures of young girls worldwide²⁴³.

Why End Child Marriage?

Child marriage, a global human rights issue, is a fundamental violation of child rights⁵. One in five young women aged 20 to 24 years old are married before their 18th birthday, compared to one in 30 young men⁵. This alarming practice not only deprives girls of their childhood but also puts them at higher risk of domestic violence, contracting HIV/AIDS, and complications during pregnancy and childbirth⁶.

Child Rights Violation

Marriage before the age of 18 is internationally recognized as a violation of child rights⁵. Girls who are married as children are more likely to be out of school and face significant challenges in exercising their basic rights, such as education, health, and personal development⁶. Ending child marriage is crucial to upholding the fundamental human rights of girls and promoting their well-being.

Gender Inequality and Development

Child marriage perpetuates gender inequality and leads to intergenerational cycles of poverty, which in turn harms economies and overall development⁵⁷. Girls with no education are more likely to marry before the age of 18 compared to those attending secondary school or higher⁶. Investing in girls’ education and empowerment is key to breaking this cycle and achieving gender equality, improved maternal and child health, and economic progress.

“Ending child marriage is crucial to achieving gender equality, improving maternal and child health, and driving economic progress.”

In the last 25 years, an estimated 68 million child marriages have been prevented, demonstrating the importance of concerted efforts to end this harmful practice⁵. However, the momentum has slowed, with 12 million girls still becoming child brides in 2022, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa⁵. Continued action and commitment are essential to ensure that all girls can live freely, pursue their dreams, and contribute to the development of their communities and nations.

Empowering Girls with Information and Support

Empowering girls with information, skills, and support networks is a critical strategy to delay or prevent child marriage. Comprehensive programs like Berhane Hewan in Ethiopia and the Maharashtra Life Skills Programme in India provide girls with life skills training, comprehensive sexuality education, and safe spaces to socialize and learn⁸. These initiatives help build girls’ self-confidence, decision-making abilities, and knowledge about their rights, enabling them to advocate for themselves and make informed choices about marriage⁸.

Life Skills Training

Life skills education equips girls with the knowledge and abilities to navigate their lives, make informed decisions, and develop resilience. Successful programs focus on topics like communication, negotiation, financial literacy, and leadership, empowering girls to become active agents of change in their communities⁸. By acquiring these vital skills, girls can better resist pressures to marry early and envision alternative paths for their futures.

Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Comprehensive sexuality education is a key component of girl empowerment programs. These initiatives provide girls with age-appropriate information on sexual and reproductive health, rights, and relationships⁸. This knowledge equips girls to make informed decisions about their bodies, relationships, and the timing of marriage and childbearing. It also helps challenge harmful gender norms and reduce the risk of child marriage.

Promising Empowerment Programs	Key Outcomes
Berhane Hewan in Ethiopia	Delayed marriage for participants by up to two years
Maharashtra Life Skills Programme in India	Increased girls’ aspirations and self-confidence
CARE’s Tipping Point initiative in Nepal and Bangladesh	Improved girls’ negotiation skills and financial capabilities

Empowering girls through comprehensive programs creates internal transformations, provides alternatives to marriage, and enables them to influence others⁸. By gaining increased control over their lives, including the timing and circumstances of marriage, girls can make more informed choices and actively work to end the practice of child marriage⁸.

“Ending child marriage is linked to global development priorities, such as universal education, sexual and reproductive health and rights, poverty reduction, gender equality, and eradication of gender-based violence.”⁸

To accelerate progress, it is crucial to prioritize adolescent girls and end child marriage in the post-2015 development goals, improving the lives of millions of girls worldwide⁸.

Educating and Mobilizing Communities

Addressing the social norms and cultural practices that perpetuate child marriage requires a community-based approach. Programs that facilitate community dialogues and engage local leaders play a crucial role in driving change at the grassroots level⁹.

Organizations like Tostan have found success with their Community Empowerment Programme in Senegal, where they engage parents, community members, and leaders to help them understand the harmful impacts of child marriage⁹. By encouraging community leaders to speak out against the practice, these initiatives create an enabling environment for social norms change⁹.

Community Dialogues

Community dialogues provide a platform for open discussion and reflection on the issue of child marriage. These discussions allow parents, religious leaders, and other influential figures to critically examine the cultural and social norms that support the practice, and explore alternative solutions that prioritize the wellbeing of girls⁹.

Engaging Community Leaders

Engaging community leaders, such as religious figures, traditional elders, and local government officials, is crucial to the success of community-based interventions. When these respected figures champion the cause of ending child marriage, they can inspire broader social change and encourage others to reconsider their attitudes and behaviors⁹.

By working closely with community leaders and facilitating open dialogues, programs can help shift social norms and create an environment that empowers girls and families to make informed choices about marriage⁹.

Improving Access to Education

Ensuring girls have access to quality education is a crucial strategy in delaying and preventing child marriage. Programs like Ishraq in Egypt provide girls who are no longer in school with a second chance, offering them a safe learning space to build their skills and knowledge¹⁰. Keeping girls in school and providing them with adolescent-friendly services, such as sexual and reproductive health information and services, can empower them to make informed decisions about their futures and delay marriage¹⁰.

Keeping Girls in School

On average, the likelihood of a girl marrying before she turns 18 is six percentage points less for every additional year she stays in secondary school¹⁰. Women with formal education are more likely to invest in the health and education of their children, as they value schooling and are aware of the rates of return on education¹⁰. Evidence demonstrates that an additional year of schooling can increase a woman’s earnings by up to 20%¹⁰. Countries lose more than $1 billion dollars a year failing to educate girls¹⁰.

Adolescent Girl-Friendly Services

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) integrated into the curriculum enables girls to make and act on decisions about their bodies and lives¹⁰. Providing 12 years of quality education for one girl not only delays marriage for that individual but also delays marriage for generations of girls and women that will follow her¹⁰. Education is a powerful driver of change in restructuring gender norms and inequalities¹⁰. It is crucial to focus on the transition to and completion of secondary school for investment and action in girls’ education¹⁰. Gender-transformative curriculums in schools can challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes and reinforce equal opportunity and rights for girls and boys¹⁰.

Key Findings	Data
Over the last decade, decrease in child marriage	1 in 5 young women aged 20 to 24 were married as children¹¹
Estimated child brides by 2030	160 million girls will marry as children by 2030¹¹
Global child marriage prevalence	640 million girls and women globally were married in childhood, with 45% in South Asia and 20% in Sub-Saharan Africa¹¹
Countries with highest child marriage prevalence	Classified as fragile or extremely fragile¹¹
Child marriage prevalence by gender	Approximately 6 times higher among girls than boys¹¹

“It is essential to work on long-term, sustainable approaches to challenge negative socio-cultural norms around child marriage while improving girls’ access to education.”

Providing Economic Support and Incentives

Providing economic support and financial incentives to girls and their families can play a crucial role in delaying or preventing child marriage¹². Studies have shown that child marriage has been estimated to cost societies worldwide trillions of dollars¹², and ending the practice in countries like Uganda could yield significant annual benefits of up to $2.7 billion¹². Moreover, ending child marriage in Ethiopia could decrease the country’s dependence on overseas development assistance by one-sixth¹².

One successful program, the Berhane Hewan initiative in Ethiopia, provided families with a goat or sheep as an economic incentive for keeping their daughters in the program and continuing their education¹². Social protection programs that offer cash assistance to families in need have also demonstrated a positive impact, as they make families less likely to resort to negative coping mechanisms like child marriage¹³.

Intervention	Description	Impact
Conditional Cash Transfers	Providing cash payments to families contingent on their daughters remaining in school and delaying marriage	Increased school enrollment, delayed marriage, and improved reproductive health outcomes for girls
Asset Transfers	Providing livestock, agricultural inputs, or other productive assets to families as an incentive to keep their daughters in school	Improved household economic status, reduced likelihood of child marriage, and increased school attendance
Savings Accounts	Encouraging families to save money for their daughters’ future, with the goal of delaying marriage	Increased savings, delayed marriage, and improved educational and health outcomes for girls

Empowering girls with information, skills, and support networks has also been identified as a key solution to combating child marriage¹². Providing access to comprehensive sexuality education, life skills training, and adolescent-friendly health services can equip girls with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed decisions about their futures¹³.

By combining economic support, financial incentives, and empowerment strategies, communities can work towards ending the harmful practice of child marriage and ensuring that girls have the opportunity to reach their full potential¹⁴.

Strengthening Legal and Policy Frameworks

Establishing robust legal frameworks and national strategies is crucial for creating an enabling environment to end child marriage. National laws should reflect international and regional human rights standards, and a strong legal framework should be in place to address child marriage, setting the same minimum legal age for marriage for girls and boys¹⁵. Effective accountability and monitoring mechanisms are required to ensure policy commitments are being delivered at various levels¹⁵.

Minimum Age of Marriage Laws

Many countries have a legal age of marriage lower than what is recommended in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child¹⁵. Laws focusing only on the minimum age of marriage without considering surrounding rights-based provisions can lead to negative impacts for girls¹⁵. Gender discrimination and loopholes in laws persist, particularly concerning issues like parental consent, property rights, separation and divorce, and access to services¹⁵. Customary laws that contradict national laws pose challenges to enforcement efforts¹⁵.

National Strategies and Action Plans

The Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage, led by UNICEF and UNFPA, has supported the adoption of eight financed national strategies, 169 sub-national action plans, and 156 legal instruments in participating countries to address child marriage¹⁵. Strengthening civil registration systems for birth and marriage is also crucial to effectively monitor and enforce these policies¹⁵. Increasing access to legal aid and support for marginalized girls, pregnant girls, those in a union, or already married is essential to ensure they can exercise their rights¹⁵.

“Robust legal and policy frameworks, coupled with increased access to justice, are critical to creating an environment that protects and empowers girls and women to exercise their rights.”

The comprehensive approach to strengthening legal and policy frameworks, along with targeted interventions, is key to accelerating progress in ending the harmful practice of child marriage¹⁵¹⁶.

community-based solutions to end child marriage

Community-based solutions, such as empowerment programs and grassroots initiatives, are crucial to ending the harmful practice of child marriage. These locally-driven approaches empower communities to challenge traditional norms, support girls, and drive social change.

Community Empowerment Programs

Programs like Tostan’s Community Empowerment Programme in Senegal equip women and adolescents with education on human rights, problem-solving, and community projects. This enables them to collectively question and transform harmful practices like child marriage¹⁷. By fostering community ownership and action, these initiatives catalyze sustainable change from within.

Grassroots Initiatives

Grassroots initiatives that mobilize local communities and leverage the influence of community leaders have also proven effective in driving social norms change and preventing child marriage¹⁷. These bottom-up approaches empower communities to take the lead in challenging child marriage and advocate for the rights of girls and women.

“When a community comes together, they can challenge and change harmful practices like child marriage that have persisted for generations.”

The Firelight Foundation’s community-based interventions in Malawi exemplify this approach¹⁷. Firelight partners with local organizations to empower communities, increase awareness, and advocate for systemic change to address the root causes of child marriage¹⁷. By engaging a range of stakeholders, from adolescent girls to government officials, these initiatives are driving sustainable progress in ending child marriage.

Community-based solutions harness the power of collective action and local knowledge to transform social norms and create lasting change¹⁸. As the global community continues to work towards ending child marriage, amplifying these grassroots efforts will be crucial to ensuring that no girl is left behind.

Challenges and Setbacks

Despite progress in some regions, the fight to end child marriage continues to face significant challenges and setbacks. Conflict, crises, climate change, and poverty have exacerbated the vulnerabilities of girls, particularly in West and Central Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, where progress has been limited or stalled¹⁹²⁰.

Conflict and Crises

In areas affected by conflict and crises, such as war, political instability, and humanitarian emergencies, child marriage rates often spike as families see it as a coping mechanism. Households struggling to recover from the economic effects of the pandemic, school closures, food insecurity, and other crises have turned to child marriage, putting girls at greater risk¹⁹²⁰.

Climate Change and Poverty

Climate change-related disasters and the resulting poverty have also exacerbated the challenges to ending child marriage. Families facing economic hardship and food insecurity may view child marriage as a way to alleviate the burden, putting young girls at risk of being forced into marriage²⁰.

Despite the progress made in some regions, the fight to end child marriage continues to face significant hurdles. Addressing the complex interplay of conflict, crises, climate change, and poverty will be crucial in accelerating efforts to protect the rights of girls and end this harmful practice¹⁹²⁰.

Promising Interventions and Partnerships

While progress in ending child marriage has been slow in some regions, there are encouraging examples of interventions and partnerships that have had a positive impact²¹. The evidence base on child marriage interventions has seen significant growth in recent years, highlighting effective strategies to address this complex issue²¹.

UNICEF-supported social protection programs, such as cash assistance to families in need, have shown promising results²¹. These programs have helped keep girls in school and reduce the likelihood of child marriage, underscoring the transformative effect of pairing social protection with initiatives that challenge traditional gender norms²¹.

Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration

The establishment of over 500 new partnerships through the Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage has enabled multi-stakeholder collaboration and the sharing of best practices²¹. This collaborative approach is crucial for addressing the multifaceted nature of child marriage and leveraging the expertise of various stakeholders, including women’s rights organizations and feminist movements, which play a significant role in driving progress towards gender equality²¹.

Interventions that focus on education, social protection, and engaging communities have shown promising results in preventing child marriage²¹. By investing in data collection and analysis, stakeholders can further enhance the effectiveness of these interventions and hold themselves accountable for the progress made in ending this harmful practice²².

“Flexible approaches to providing sexual and reproductive health services to adolescent girls in humanitarian settings have shown positive outcomes.”²¹

As the global community continues to grapple with the challenges posed by conflict, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to maintain momentum and strengthen partnerships to end child marriage²². By leveraging the lessons learned from successful interventions and fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration, we can accelerate progress and ensure a brighter future for girls and their communities²¹²².

Accelerating Progress to End Child Marriage

To achieve the ambitious goal of ending child marriage by 2030, as set by the United Nations, the global community must scale up proven strategies and invest in data and evidence-driven approaches²³. The Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage has already made significant strides, reaching over 21 million adolescent girls with life skills training and comprehensive sexuality education, and engaging close to 59 million community members in dialogues on child marriage and gender equality²⁴.

Scaling Up Proven Strategies

Building on the successes of the first phase of the Global Program, continued investment in effective interventions will be essential to drive progress. This includes scaling up efforts to keep girls in school, provide economic support and incentives, and strengthen legal and policy frameworks to protect the rights of girls²⁴. Additionally, community-based solutions that empower girls and engage local leaders have demonstrated promising results in addressing the root causes of child marriage²³.

Investing in Data and Evidence

Rigorous research and data collection are critical to identifying innovative approaches and replicating successful models. Initiatives like the Child Marriage Research to Action Network (CRANK) have brought together researchers, practitioners, advocates, and funders to explore the latest evidence on child marriage and develop a comprehensive online research tracker²³. This investment in data and evidence will enable the global community to make informed decisions, scale up what works, and accelerate the elimination of child marriage²⁵.

By scaling up proven strategies and investing in data-driven solutions, the world can create a future where girls are free to decide if, when, and whom they marry, and fulfill their full potential²⁴. This collective effort to end child marriage is not only a moral imperative but also a critical step towards achieving gender equality and sustainable development for all²⁵.

Conclusion

Ending child marriage requires a multifaceted, community-based approach that empowers girls, educates and mobilizes communities, improves access to education, provides economic support, and strengthens legal and policy frameworks²⁶. While progress has been made in some regions, challenges such as conflict, crises, climate change, and poverty have slowed down efforts, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean²⁷.

By scaling up proven strategies, investing in data and evidence, and fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration, the global community can accelerate progress and work toward the goal of eliminating child marriage by 2030, ensuring that all girls can live safe, valued, and empowered lives²⁶²⁸. The project covered 18 sites across Bangladesh, India, and Nepal with a focus on increasing the minimum age of marriage, delaying first pregnancy, and increasing years of schooling for young people between 10 and 24 years old²⁶.

Advocacy efforts aim to delay child marriage for those at risk and support newly married young women, led by organizations such as the United Nations Global Coalition on Women and AIDS (GCWA)²⁷. By enacting, standardizing, and enforcing national laws, creating environments for social change, developing multi-sectoral program approaches, and strengthening research and data collection systems, the global community can work towards the goal of eliminating child marriage by 2030²⁷.

FAQ

What is child marriage?

Child marriage, also known as early marriage, is any formal marriage or informal union between a child under age 18 and an adult or another child. Girls are disproportionately affected, with 1 in 5 young women aged 20 to 24 years old married before their 18th birthday, compared to 1 in 30 young men.

What are the impacts of child marriage?

Child marriage is a violation of child rights and negatively impacts the health, education, and future of girls. Girls who are married as children are more likely to be out of school, suffer domestic violence, contract HIV/AIDS, and die due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Child marriage also perpetuates gender inequality and leads to intergenerational cycles of poverty, which harms economies and development.

What are the key strategies to end child marriage?

The policy brief from the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) highlights five evidence-based strategies to delay or prevent child marriage: 1) Empower girls with information, skills and support networks; 2) Provide economic support and incentives to girls and their families; 3) Educate and rally parents and community members; 4) Enhance girls’ access to a high-quality education; and 5) Encourage supportive laws and policies.

How can empowering girls help prevent child marriage?

Empowering girls with information, skills, and support networks is a key strategy to delay or prevent child marriage. Programs like Berhane Hewan in Ethiopia and the Maharashtra Life Skills Programme in India provide girls with life skills training, comprehensive sexuality education, and safe spaces to socialize and learn. These initiatives help build girls’ self-confidence, decision-making abilities, and knowledge about their rights, enabling them to advocate for themselves and make informed choices about marriage.

How can community engagement and mobilization help end child marriage?

Educating and mobilizing communities is crucial to addressing the social norms and cultural practices that perpetuate child marriage. Programs like Tostan’s Community Empowerment Programme in Senegal facilitate community dialogues to help parents, leaders, and other members understand the harmful impacts of child marriage and their role in ending the practice. By engaging community leaders and encouraging them to speak out against child marriage, these initiatives create an enabling environment for change at the grassroots level.

How can improving access to education help delay or prevent child marriage?

Improving girls’ access to quality education is a key strategy to delay or prevent child marriage. Programs like Ishraq in Egypt provide girls who are no longer in school with a second chance, offering them a safe learning space to build their skills and knowledge. Keeping girls in school and providing adolescent girl-friendly services, such as sexual and reproductive health information and services, help empower them to make informed decisions about their futures and delay marriage.

What role do economic support and incentives play in ending child marriage?

Providing economic support and incentives to girls and their families can help delay or prevent child marriage. In the Berhane Hewan program in Ethiopia, families who kept their daughters in the program received a goat or sheep as an economic incentive, as well as school materials, which helped them continue their education. Social protection programs that provide cash assistance to families in need have also shown a positive impact, as they make families less likely to turn to negative coping mechanisms like child marriage.

How can legal and policy frameworks help end child marriage?

Strengthening legal and policy frameworks to establish 18 as the minimum age of marriage and implementing national strategies and action plans to end child marriage are crucial to creating an enabling environment for change. The Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage, led by UNICEF and UNFPA, has supported the adoption of eight financed national strategies, 169 sub-national action plans, and 156 legal instruments in participating countries to address child marriage.

What role do community-based solutions play in ending child marriage?

Community-based solutions, such as community empowerment programs and grassroots initiatives, are crucial to ending child marriage. Programs like Tostan’s Community Empowerment Programme in Senegal empower women and adolescents with education on human rights, problem-solving, and community projects, enabling them to challenge harmful traditional practices like child marriage. Grassroots initiatives that mobilize local communities and leverage the influence of community leaders have also been effective in driving social norms change and preventing child marriage.

What are some of the challenges and setbacks in ending child marriage?

Despite progress in some regions, challenges and setbacks have slowed down efforts to end child marriage. Conflict, crises, climate change, and poverty have exacerbated vulnerabilities for girls, particularly in West and Central Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, where progress has been limited or stalled. Households struggling to recover from the economic effects of the pandemic, school closures, food insecurity, and other crises have turned to child marriage as a coping mechanism, putting girls at greater risk.

What are some promising interventions and partnerships to end child marriage?

While progress has been slow in some regions, there are promising examples of interventions and partnerships that have had a positive impact on ending child marriage. UNICEF-supported social protection programs providing cash assistance to families in need have shown a positive impact, with families more likely to keep girls in school and less likely to turn to child marriage. Additionally, the establishment of over 500 new partnerships through the Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage has enabled multi-stakeholder collaboration and the sharing of best practices to address this complex issue.

How can we accelerate progress to end child marriage?

To accelerate progress and achieve the goal of ending child marriage by 2030, as set by the United Nations, it is crucial to scale up proven strategies and invest in data and evidence. The Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage has already reached over 21 million adolescent girls with life skills training and comprehensive sexuality education, engaged close to 59 million community members in dialogues on child marriage and gender equality, and supported the adoption of legal and policy frameworks to end the practice. Continued investment in these effective interventions, coupled with rigorous research to identify innovative approaches, will be essential to drive progress and create a world where girls are free to decide if, when, and whom they marry.