The United Nations General Assembly has unanimously adopted a landmark resolution establishing November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, in a major step towards ending a practice that threatens the rights and future of millions of children worldwide.
The resolution, A/80/L.99, was championed by Sierra Leone and co-sponsored by more than 66 countries, underscoring growing international commitment to eliminating child, early and forced marriage.
The new observance calls on governments, United Nations agencies, civil society organisations and communities to intensify public awareness, advocacy and education aimed at preventing child marriage.
It also urges countries to adopt and implement comprehensive, multi-sectoral strategies to address the underlying factors that contribute to child, early and forced marriage while protecting the rights, health, education and future prospects of children.
Supporters of the resolution said the international day would provide an important platform for governments and stakeholders to strengthen efforts to protect children from practices that can have lifelong social, educational, health and economic consequences.
The initiative places particular emphasis on collective action, recognising that ending child marriage requires coordinated interventions across education, health, justice, social protection and community engagement.
The United Nations resolution calls for sustained global efforts to ensure that every child is able to learn, grow and fulfil their potential free from child marriage, reinforcing the international commitment to safeguarding children’s rights and dignity.
