Girls Not Brides USA
ICRW is the proud co-chair of Girls Not Brides USA, a coalition committed to ending child marriage and ensuring that every girl can fulfill her potential. With over 1,500 member organizations across 100 countries, Girls Not Brides works to amplify the voices of girls at risk of child marriage, advocate for policy and programmatic changes, and build partnerships to end the harmful practice.
Child marriage is a violation of human rights and a barrier to girls’ education, health, and well-being. Girls who are married before the age of 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence, drop out of school, and have limited economic opportunities. Girls Not Brides recognizes that ending child marriage requires a collective effort and works with a range of stakeholders, including governments, civil society organizations, and grassroots groups, to achieve its mission.
Through its advocacy efforts, ICRW has worked with the U.S. Congress to raise the profile of child marriage and bring more national and international support to end this harmful traditional practice. In 2012, the United States Senate passed the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act (S.414), which was unanimously supported by a voice vote. The legislation, which ICRW had advocated for since 2006, contains provisions that authorize U.S. foreign assistance funding to prevent child marriage and provide educational and economic opportunities to girls in developing countries. This legislation helps protect girls’ human rights by establishing a multi-year strategy to prevent child marriage, requiring the State Department to report on this harmful practice in its annual human rights report, and integrating child marriage prevention efforts into existing development programs.
Girls Not Brides recognizes the importance of evidence-based solutions to end child marriage and is committed to working with organizations like ICRW to find effective ways to empower girls and prevent child marriage. Together, we can build a future where every girl can realize her full potential and enjoy her rights to health, education, and security.
Mission
Through its member organizations, Girls Not Brides provides critical support to girls at risk of child marriage and survivors of the practice. The coalition also advocates for stronger laws and policies that protect girls’ rights and promote gender equality. Girls Not Brides believes that ending child marriage requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of the practice, including poverty, gender inequality, and harmful social norms.
Facts & Stats
- In 2012, 70 million women ages 20-24 around the world had been married before the age of 18.
- If present trends continue, 150 million girls will be married before their 18th birthday over the next decade. That’s an average of 15 million girls each year.
- Girls living in poor households are almost twice as likely to marry before 18 as girls in higher-income households.
- Girls with higher levels of schooling are less likely to marry as children.
- Pregnancy is consistently among the leading causes of death for girls ages 15-19 worldwide.
- Child brides often face a higher risk of contracting HIV because they often marry an older man with more sexual experience.
- Girls who marry before 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence than their peers who marry later.
- No one religious affiliation is associated with child marriage.
Sources: UNFPA, USAID, Population Council, Pathfinder International