UN sets November 27 as International Day for the Elimination of Child Marriage

The United Nations General Assembly has designated November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, giving the campaign a permanent date on the international calendar.

The resolution won the backing of all 193 member states. It calls on governments and societies to intensify efforts to end forced unions and marriages involving children and adolescents, which it describes as violations of human rights.

The initiative gained renewed attention after the rescue of two 10-year-old Indigenous girls, one Peruvian and one Ecuadorian, who were at risk of child marriage. Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Uruguay were among the Latin American countries that co-sponsored the resolution.

Bhuwan Ribhu, founder of Just Rights for Children and an advocate for the new international day, called the decision a turning point. He urged governments to take determined leadership to eliminate child marriage and early unions before 2030. Fatima Maada Bio, Sierra Leone's first lady and president of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development, also promoted the initiative internationally.

The resolution says child, early and forced marriage disproportionately affects women and girls, particularly those living in vulnerable conditions. It can restrict access to education, health care and economic opportunities, including through informal unions that authorities do not register or officially recognize. Proposed measures include greater investment in quality education for girls and support for those already married who want to continue or return to school.