Protecting the Girl Child

Using the Law to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage

Equality Now, in partnership with TrustLaw Connect and Latham & Watkins LLP, carried out a sample survey of the legal position on child marriage and some of the interconnected issues in 18 sample countries. Child marriage is practised across the globe.

The sample country reports look at not only the pure legal provisions relating to age of marriage, but also the extent to which they have been enforced, if at all, and the law and practice of some related issues including laws relating to bride price/dowry; statutory rape laws that are circumvented through marriage; availability of child protection services when escaping child marriage; legal requirements for registration of birth and/or marriage; and, schooling for girls. They also identify the intersection between child marriage and other social and legal issues, such as gender-based violence, human trafficking, exploitation, nationality, FGM, force feeding, etc.

Download a copy of the report here.