Organizations advocating to end child marriage in the U.S. are seeking Republican support in Congress and state legislatures. The Child Marriage Prevention Act, sponsored by Democrats, aims to protect children from exploitation and abuse.

Background

The practice of child marriage remains legal in 33 states, with nearly 315,000 children married between 2000 and 2021, mostly girls to adult men. The bill would set minimum age requirements for marriage and close legal loopholes that allow exploitation.

The Tahirih Justice Center and other survivor-led organizations have been advocating for an end to child marriage, citing the negative consequences for girls, including limited educational opportunities, poverty, and health issues.

Call to Action

Advocacy groups are calling on state legislatures to enact a minimum age requirement of 18 for marriage with no exceptions and for Congress to pass the Child Marriage Prevention Act. The bill has been refiled by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL, with Sens. Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York as cosponsors.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.