Help End Child Marriage

Why UNICEF USA is taking action to end child marriage 

UNICEF defines child marriage as a harmful practice and a violation of child rights, and believes that marriage before age 18 should be prohibited in all circumstances, everywhere. Girls who marry are not only denied their childhood, they are often socially isolated, with limited opportunities for education and employment. 

In the U.S., there is no federal law regarding child marriage. Each state establishes its own requirements, and some have set no minimum age for marriage. In 2018, Delaware and New Jersey became the first states to outlaw marriage before age 18 with no exceptions, followed by Minnesota and Pennsylvania in 2020; New York and Rhode Island in 2021; Massachusetts in 2022; Connecticut, Michigan and Vermont in 2023; New Hampshire, Virginia and Washington in 2024 and the District of Columbia, Maine, Missouri and Oregon in 2025.

UNICEF USA, a member of the National Coalition to End Child Marriage, is working alongside other NGO partners to end marriage before the age of 18 within the U.S. and to repeal loopholes and exceptions that may promote the practice. As part of that effort, UNICEF USA and Zonta International have joined forces to raise awareness and enact change to end child marriage both in the U.S. and around the world.