Authors: Manahil Siddiqi, M.P.H. and Margaret E. Green, Ph.D.

Publication: March 1, 2022

This comprehensive survey of global research into child marriage, conducted in multiple languages, reveals a number of important trends in global efforts to study and address child marriage around the world. In particular the authors find that child marriage is not most-studied in the countries where it is most prevalent – in fact several of the countries with the highest prevalence of child marriage are also among the places where the issue is least studied. Read more.

Authors: Cristine Belles-Obrero and Maria Lombardi

Publication: August 1, 2021

New research looks at the effect of minimum marriage age reforms in Mexico, and includes insights for advocates working to end child marriage in the United States. Among these is the fact that many Mexican states took an incremental approach to child marriage reform, first raising their minimum marriage age to 16 before eventually ending all marriage under 18, without exceptions – perhaps providing a useful blueprint for effective incremental reform in U.S. states that resist going to age 18 as a first step. The researchers also found that action by the federal government seems to have been critical in pushing states to pass “18, no exceptions” laws, again laying out a strategic model available for U.S. advocates who could push Congress to incentivize more U.S. states to take action.

Author: Forced Marriage Initiative

Publication: July, 2021

This framework provides comprehensive guidance for service providers who may encounter individuals facing forced marriage. It includes an overview of the complex nature of forced marriage cases, tips for screening and conducting a needs assessment, sample intake forms, and appendices offering more specific guidance on safety planning for relocation, travel abroad, family mapping, working with minors, and the intersection of forced marriage with female genital mutilation/cutting.

Authors: David W. Lawson, Rachel Lynes, Addison Morris, Susan B. Schaffnit

Published: September 23, 2020

This study examined what the public in the United States knows about the issue of child marriage, both worldwide and within the U.S. itself. Researchers discovered significant misconceptions on both fronts, including a widespread and incorrect belief that child marriage was illegal in all 50 states. Read more.

Author: Girls Not Brides

A helpful graphic that illustrates the global problem of child marriage.