Preventing Child Marriage Act

ICRW is a leader among organizations advocating for the United States to become more involved in curbing child marriage. Currently, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives is considering the “International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2009.” ICRW supports this effort.

The legislation would authorize U.S. foreign assistance funding over four years to prevent child marriage and provide educational and economic opportunities to girls in the developing world. The policy would help protect girls’ human rights by:

  • Establishing a multi-year strategy to prevent child marriage in developing countries and promote the empowerment of girls at risk of child marriage
     
  • Requiring the State Department to report on this harmful practice in its annual human rights report
     
  • Integrating child marriage prevention efforts into existing development programs

Congressional Cosponsors »

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