Last week, a breakthrough in the global fight to end child marriage came when the United Kingdom government pledged to raise the minimum age of marria

Signs of Hope in Fight Against Child Marriage

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2021-06-16 18:30:04

Last week, a breakthrough in the global fight to end child marriage came when the United Kingdom government pledged to raise the minimum age of marriage in England and Wales to 18, without exception. Just days before, Rhode Island became the fifth US state to ban child marriage. These are important steps, but more work lies ahead.

The UK has put itself forward as a leader on ending child marriage, hosting the 2014 “Girl Summit” on this topic. But in countries with high rates of child marriage, such as Bangladesh and Nepal, UK aid officials and diplomats quietly confessed that they are unable to push effectively for reform due to perceived hypocrisy, as child marriage is still legal in the UK. The government’s pledge to ban child marriage in England and Wales is encouraging. Authorities in Northern Ireland and Scotland should follow suit.

Child marriage is also still legal in the United States. With Rhode Island’s decision last week, 45 states still allow children under 18 to marry. That sounds daunting, but in 2018 child marriage was legal in every state; laws to end child marriage have been introduced in a growing list of states, including New York.