Child marriage is a harmful practice defined as “any formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child” (UNICEF).
Child marriage causes multiple harms including; “honour” based abuse, domestic abuse and sexual abuse; complications in pregnancy and childbirth; social exclusion and isolation; increased divorce; lower levels of education and reduced employment opportunities. No child should be subjected to any form of child marriage; childhood should be safeguarded as a time for learning and personal development.
IKWRO led the Safeguard Futures Ban Child Marriage campaign, as Co-Chairs of Girls Not Brides UK, and achieved a change in the law in England and Wales, which came into force in February 2023, raising the minimum age of marriage to 18, with no exceptions.
Read more about the campaign here.