Statement on the Inaugural UN International Day for the elimination of child, early and forced marriage

We welcome the inaugural UN International Day for the elimination of child marriage and commit our full support.

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No girl should have her childhood, education and future taken away by child marriage. Yet one in five girls in the world are married while they are children. Every 3 seconds a girl is married somewhere in the world.

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We encourage every government to mark the new International Day by announcing budgeted national action plans and implementing laws against child marriage. 

Child marriage is a crime and must be treated as such with prevention initiatives for those at risk, protection for all survivors and the prosecution of adults involved as a deterrent. 

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We believe the end of child marriage is possible if we work together, and pledge to do all we can to create a child marriage free world.