Another 300 years to end child marriage

OPINION – Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) is often the result of deep-rooted gender inequality, meaning female children are disproportionately affected.

The prevalence of CEFM among girls is six times higher than among boys (UNICEF, 2023). This year’s theme for International Women’s Day 2025, held annually on 8 March was “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” While the call to action rings true, the backlash against gender equality in these testing times is deeply worrying and painful. The gains that girls and women have secured, the hard–fought victories in the areas of sexual and reproductive rights and gender-equality education and even with regard to gender-based violence are held hostage. What was a troubling trend became a terrifying descent into a nightmare, as a relentless series of cuts in development aid by countries like the UK, USA, France, Belgium, Netherlands, etc., and the growing reluctance to support ‘gender equality’. 

After the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995, gender was considered one of the key concepts in international human rights. It has received significant attention in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), specifically within SDG 5 Gender Equality, is ending Child Marriage. Current SDG tracking suggests that it will take another 300 years to end child marriage, and that decisions of global leadership are going to make it even more difficult. 

Global trends suggest that one in five young women worldwide were married before their 18th birthday. Levels are highest in sub-Saharan Africa (31%), followed by central and southern Asia (25%). No region is currently on track to meet the 2030 target of eliminating child marriage. In many places, substantial acceleration is required. 

According to the World Bank supported report, globally, between now and 2030, child marriage is expected to cost the equivalent of trillions of dollars to populations in the developing world. Yet investments to end the practice remain limited across the globe and more could be done.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands recognise that child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) is child exploitation especially where imbalances of power are taken advantage of and perpetuated and some parties (like families and/or the ‘spouse) gain or are promised payment (like dowry or bride-dowry) or some other (economic or social) advantages. It is also associated with poly -victimisation, especially affecting girls and increasing the risk of multiple forms of exploitation like child trafficking, sexual exploitation, child labour, etc.

In these testing times, to end CEFM, we need more help to support children and youth, parents, community leaders, and governments in identifying, understanding, and ending CEFM and ensuring that our work addresses intersectional risk factors like gender and community norms to create safe and inclusive families and societies for children.

We need to create safe and meaningful opportunities for girls to raise their concerns and involve them in finding solutions, focusing on the girls who are most marginalised. It is important to engage with families and communities (including boys and men), religious, and community leaders, to tackle the socio-cultural and economic root causes of CEFM that includes or leads to child exploitation or trafficking, in order to bring about systemic change. 

Influencing policy makers and other duty bearers to protect children from CEFM that includes or leads to child exploitation and/or child trafficking is equally important. Lastly, the commitment from Global leaders and their governments to support gender equality and stop negative gender norms by providing adequate budgets for creating an ecosystem where girls are safe and gender equality prevails.