United Nations, India has co-sponsored a resolution in the UN General Assembly proclaiming November 27 every year as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage.
Just Rights for Children said that the adoption of the resolution by the 193-member United Nations General Assembly marks a significant milestone-not only in the global movement to end child marriage, but also in the growing international recognition that child marriage is a crime and another form of child sexual abuse. The network has prevented and stopped over 550,000 child marriages since 2023. The issue was also championed by Sierra Leone’s First Lady and President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development Fatima Maada Bio and Just Rights for Children Founder Bhuwan Ribhu, who had initiated the international call for a dedicated global day to end child marriage. Ribhu added that with the adoption of the resolution, governments all around the world need to take decisive action through comprehensive laws, budgeted national action plans, responsible and accountable institutions, and involve children in the process of participation with faith leaders, community leaders, government agencies, police, law enforcement, rule of law and ensuring that the ecosystem that perpetuates child marriage is collapsed. Just Rights for Children is a global child rights network committed to ending all forms of child exploitation, working to ensure that every child, regardless of geography, can enjoy a safe, healthy, and dignified childhood.
He had said that the International Day would serve as a global reminder of the need for accountability for unified action by governments, civil society, faith leaders, schools, communities and children. It also recognised that child, early and forced marriage is a “harmful practice” that violates, abuses or impairs human rights, disproportionately affecting women and girls, particularly those in vulnerable situations, and threatening their education, health, economic opportunities and full enjoyment of human rights. In her address to the General Assembly before the resolution was adopted, Maada Bio said child early and forced marriage remains one of the most persistent barriers to gender equality, human rights and sustainable development.
“When a girl is forced into marriage, we not only take away childhood, we take away choices, we take away opportunities, and too often, we take away the future she could have helped build for her family, her community, and her country.”
