Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, welcomes the announcement of 27 November as the new UN International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage.<\/p>\n
04 September – Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, welcomes the announcement of 27 November as the new UN International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage.<\/b><\/p>\n
On 4 September 2026, the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish an International Day to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage. This landmark decision marks an important milestone in global efforts to protect girls\u2019 rights, reflecting growing international consensus and commitment to ending child marriage.<\/p>\n
Global recognition of this kind matters. It helps keep ending child, early, and forced marriages and unions on the international agenda. It builds momentum for action and reinforces the commitment in the Sustainable Development Goals to end child marriage by 2030.<\/p>\n
But a day of recognition needs to translate into real action.<\/p>\n
Each year, more than 12 million girls are married before their 18th birthday. That\u2019s 23 girls every minute. Child marriage remains one of the most urgent and persistent violations of girls\u2019 rights globally.<\/p>\n
Ending child marriage means ensuring every girl can choose her own future: free from violence and discrimination, with access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and with the support she needs to realise her rights. It means recognising girls as rights-holders, leaders, and agents of change.<\/p>\n
Above all, it means confronting the gender and socio-economic inequalities and systems that permit child marriage to persist and investing in the locally led movements working every day to change them. It means investing in girls.<\/p>\n
Girls Not Brides call on governments, donors, and institutions to match this recognition with concrete and funded action.<\/p>\n
\nInternational commitment needs to be matched with action. As Girls Not Brides, we will continue to work the End Child Marriage Collective and all our members to ensure that words translate into real action and financing for girls.<\/p>\n
Amanda Austin, Interim Co-CEO, Girls Not Brides<\/cite>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nEvery girl deserves the right to choose her own future. Together, we can end child marriage.<\/p>\n