Why Won’t the U.S. Stop Child Marriage? – Ms. Magazine

Report on Child, Early, and Forced Marriage in the United States and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Domestic Challenge to Global Commitments

Child, Early, and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU) represent a significant human rights violation and a direct impediment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While often perceived as an issue confined to other regions, CEFMU is a persistent problem within the United States, undermining national progress on key development targets. The continued legality of child marriage in a majority of U.S. states conflicts directly with global commitments, particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and highlights a critical gap in legal protections for children.

Despite growing international dialogue and the establishment of global frameworks to combat the practice, the U.S. legal landscape remains a patchwork of inconsistent and outdated laws that fail to protect minors from exploitation. This report analyzes the prevalence, consequences, and legislative challenges of child marriage in the U.S. through the lens of the SDGs.

The Scope of Child Marriage and its Conflict with SDG Targets

Prevalence and Legal Status

The scale of child marriage in the United States is significant, with data indicating a systemic failure to protect children’s rights. This situation presents a direct challenge to the principles of justice and equality enshrined in the SDGs.

• Between 2000 and 2018, nearly 300,000 children under the age of 18 were legally married in the U.S.
• The vast majority of these unions involved underage girls marrying adult men.
• Child marriage remains legal in 34 states, often through loopholes involving parental or judicial consent.
• Four states have no statutory minimum age for marriage.

Institutional Failures and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The lack of a robust legal framework to prevent child marriage constitutes a failure of institutional responsibility, directly contravening SDG Target 16.2, which calls for an end to abuse, exploitation, and all forms of violence against children.

• No Federal Minimum Age: The U.S. lacks a federal law establishing a uniform minimum marriage age of 18.
• State-Level Loopholes: State laws frequently permit minors to marry, undermining the principle of universal protection for children.
• Weak Data Collection: Inadequate record-keeping, as seen in states like California, obscures the true prevalence of the issue and hinders effective policy-making.

Socio-Economic Consequences and Detrimental Impact on SDGs

Impact on SDG 5: Gender Equality

Child marriage is a harmful practice that disproportionately affects girls, perpetuating gender inequality and violating their fundamental rights. It is a primary obstacle to achieving SDG Target 5.3, which explicitly calls for the elimination of child, early, and forced marriage.

Health and Well-being Ramifications (SDG 3)

The practice has severe and lifelong consequences for the health and well-being of survivors, undermining progress toward SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

1. Physical Health: Women married before age 19 face a 23 percent greater risk of developing serious health conditions.
2. Violence and Abuse: Child brides experience rates of intimate partner violence nearly three times the national average.
3. Legal Vulnerability: As minors, survivors are often unable to access legal remedies or support services, such as filing for divorce or entering a domestic violence shelter.

Educational and Economic Disempowerment (SDG 4 & SDG 8)

By truncating education and limiting future prospects, child marriage perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality, directly hindering the achievement of SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

• Survivors are more likely to drop out of high school, limiting their access to higher education and skilled employment.
• The lack of education and economic independence leaves survivors vulnerable to long-term poverty and exploitation.

Barriers to Eradication and Policy Recommendations

Obstacles to Legislative Reform

Progress on banning child marriage in the U.S. has been impeded by a range of arguments that fail to prioritize child protection.

• Claims of interference with parental rights or religious liberty.
• Misguided concerns that banning child marriage would negatively impact teen parents or encourage abortion.
• A prevailing sense of “American exceptionalism” that dismisses child marriage as a foreign issue.
• Jurisdictional disputes over states’ rights versus federal authority.

Path Forward: Aligning U.S. Policy with Global Goals

To align with its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, the United States must take decisive action at both the state and federal levels. The recent legislative progress in Burkina Faso, a nation with a high historical rate of child marriage, demonstrates that reform is possible and necessary.

1. Enact State-Level Bans: Advocates must continue to push for legislation in the 34 states where child marriage remains legal to set the minimum marriage age at 18 without exceptions.
2. Pass Federal Legislation: Congress should pass a strengthened Child Marriage Prevention Act to incentivize states, prohibit marriage on federal lands, and establish 18 as the minimum age for spousal visas.
3. Improve Data and Support: Federal and state governments must mandate comprehensive data collection and reporting on marriage licenses involving minors and increase funding for support services for survivors.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • The article focuses on child marriage, which it identifies as a form of gender-based discrimination and a harmful practice that disproportionately affects girls. It states, “nearly 300,000 children were married in America—most of them girls wed to adult men.” This directly connects to the goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. The article also discusses the high rates of intimate partner violence faced by child brides, linking to the elimination of violence against women.

2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • The core of the article discusses the failure of legal and institutional frameworks in the U.S. to protect children from marriage. It highlights that child marriage is “legal in 34 states” and that “There is no federal law setting a minimum age for marriage.” The call for stronger laws, such as the “Child Marriage Prevention Act,” and the discussion of state loopholes directly relate to building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions and ending abuse and exploitation of children.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The article explicitly details the negative health consequences of child marriage. It mentions that “Women who marry before age 19 have a 23 percent greater risk of developing a serious health condition.” It also references discussions at the International Conference on Family Planning about “preventing early pregnancy,” a common consequence of child marriage that impacts the health and well-being of young girls.

4. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • The article links child marriage to educational disruption. It states that women who marry early “are more likely to drop out of high school.” This directly impacts the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, as child marriage acts as a significant barrier to completing secondary education for girls.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation. The entire article is dedicated to the issue of “child, early and forced marriage and unions (CEFMU)” in the United States, advocating for legislative action to ban it and highlighting its prevalence and devastating consequences.
   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation. The article describes child marriage as a system that legally sanctions the “exploitation” of children. It also notes that child brides “face intimate partner violence rates almost three times the national average,” directly addressing the issue of violence against women and girls.

2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. The article frames child marriage as a failure to protect children, mentioning that legal gaps allowed a 16-year-old to be “groomed and married to a man three times her age.” The proposed “Child Marriage Prevention Act” aims to “prohibit child marriage on federal lands and work toward preventing the trafficking of child brides,” directly aligning with this target.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education… The article mentions the International Conference on Family Planning, where leaders discussed “implementing a new WHO guideline on preventing early pregnancy and child marriage,” which connects the issue to reproductive health services and education.

4. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education… The article’s statement that child brides “are more likely to drop out of high school” shows a direct link between child marriage and the failure to achieve this educational target for affected girls.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

   • Prevalence of Child Marriage (Indicator 5.3.1): The article provides a direct statistic that can be used as a baseline indicator: “Between 2000 and 2018, nearly 300,000 children were married in America.” Tracking the number and rate of marriages involving minors over time would measure progress.
   • Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence: The article states that child brides “face intimate partner violence rates almost three times the national average.” This rate can be monitored as an indicator of progress towards eliminating violence against women (Target 5.2).

2. Indicators for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

   • Legal Frameworks to Protect Children: The article implies a clear indicator: the number of states with laws setting the minimum marriage age at 18. It notes that child marriage is “legal in 34 states,” so progress can be measured by the reduction in this number. The passage of a federal law, such as the “Child Marriage Prevention Act,” would be another key indicator.

3. Indicators for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

   • Health Risks for Women Married as Minors: The article mentions that “Women who marry before age 19 have a 23 percent greater risk of developing a serious health condition.” This statistic can serve as an indicator, with progress measured by a reduction in health disparities for this group.
   • Teen Pregnancy Rates: The focus on “preventing early pregnancy” implies that the adolescent birth rate, particularly among married minors, could be used as an indicator of progress toward Target 3.7.

4. Indicators for SDG 4 (Quality Education)

   • High School Completion Rates: The article states that those who marry young “are more likely to drop out of high school.” Therefore, the high school completion rate for girls who marry before 18, compared to their peers, is a clear implied indicator for measuring progress towards Target 4.1.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: msmagazine.com