Child Marriage

1. Child Marriage: What is it?

Child marriage is a marriage in which at least one person is under 18 years of age.
It can involve a child marrying another child or an adult.
Child marriage can occur through civil or religious ceremonies and may be legally recognized even when a child lacks the maturity, independence, or practical ability to make a fully informed choice.
Children may face pressure from parents, partners, family members, or community expectations to marry.
Marriage before adulthood can have lifelong consequences for a child's safety, education, health, financial independence, and personal autonomy.
Although child marriage disproportionately affects girls, children of all genders can be affected.
A child's protection and fundamental rights should not depend on their state of residence, family circumstances, or ability to resist pressure from adults.

2. Child Marriage: Why does it happen?

Poverty and economic insecurity: Families may believe marriage will provide financial stability or reduce economic pressure.
Gender inequality: In some families and communities, girls' futures are defined by marriage and caregiving rather than education, independence, and opportunity.
Family, cultural, and social pressures: Expectations about family honor, gender roles, and sexuality can contribute to early marriage.
Attempts to protect children: Some families believe marriage will protect a child from sexual violence, unwanted pregnancy, or social stigma, even though marriage does not guarantee safety.
Coercion and control: Some children are pressured or forced into marriage by parents, guardians, partners, or others who control their circumstances.
Gaps in the law: Where exceptions permit minors to marry, legal systems may allow adults and families to make decisions that put children at risk.
Limited alternatives and support: Barriers to education, housing, financial security, and supportive services can leave young people with fewer options.
Unequal power dynamics: Children may lack the legal independence, resources, or ability to refuse a marriage or leave an unsafe relationship.
Child marriage does not have a single cause. It can arise from overlapping economic pressures, gender inequality, social expectations, coercion, and gaps in legal protection.

3. Child Marriage: What can we do about it?

Establish 18 as the minimum marriage age without exceptions. Close legal loopholes that permit children to marry.
Strengthen legal protections. Ensure that marriage laws protect children and that minors have meaningful access to legal remedies and support.
Build a broad coalition. Bring together child advocacy organizations, survivors, legal experts, educators, faith leaders, women's rights groups, and human trafficking prevention organizations.
Mobilize lawmakers. Engage state delegates and senators, identify legislative sponsors, and advocate for comprehensive legislation.
Raise public awareness. Share accurate information about child marriage, its consequences, and the need for legal reform.
Listen to survivors. Respectfully include survivor perspectives in advocacy and policy development, with their informed consent and without requiring anyone to disclose personal experiences.
Support children and young people. Expand access to education, safe housing, counseling, legal assistance, and other resources that help young people make decisions about their futures.
Challenge harmful assumptions. Promote the principle that children deserve protection, opportunity, and the freedom to reach adulthood before making a lifelong commitment.
Hold institutions accountable. Track legislation, document progress, monitor implementation, and continue advocating until protections are comprehensive.

Our goal in Maryland: Establish 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage, without exceptions, so that every child has the opportunity to grow up safe, pursue an education, and determine their own future.

Child Marriage Myths vs. Facts

Myth 1: “If a child is mature enough, they’re mature enough to get married.”

Fact: Maturity varies, but a child's apparent maturity does not eliminate the legal, financial, and social disadvantages of entering marriage before adulthood. Turning 18 does not automatically make someone ready for marriage, either; it establishes a clear legal boundary for adult decision-making.

Myth 2: “Parents should be allowed to decide if their child can marry.”

Fact: Parents play an important role in children's lives, but parental permission does not eliminate the risks of coercion or guarantee that a child can make an independent decision. Children deserve consistent legal protections regardless of their family's wishes.

Myth 3: “Child marriage is only a problem in other countries.”

Fact: Child marriage has occurred in the United States, including in Maryland. The United States is not exempt from the social pressures, power imbalances, and legal gaps that can allow children to marry.

Myth 4: “If a child wants to get married, there's no reason to stop them.”

Fact: A child's stated willingness does not necessarily mean they can make a fully independent decision. Family pressure, economic dependence, fear, and unequal power dynamics can influence what a child believes they must do. A minimum age protects children without requiring the state to determine whether each individual child is sufficiently mature.

Myth 5: “Child marriage prevents the stigma of pregnancy outside marriage.”

Fact: Pregnancy does not make a child ready for marriage. A child who is pregnant or has given birth still deserves safety, education, healthcare, and the opportunity to make decisions about their future without being pressured to marry.

Myth 6: “Marriage will protect a child and provide a stable home.”

Fact: Marriage does not guarantee safety, financial security, or a healthy relationship. Child marriage can increase vulnerability to isolation, interrupted education, economic dependence, and intimate partner violence.

Myth 7: “Child marriage is a cultural or religious issue, so the law should stay out of it.”

Fact: Families and communities have diverse beliefs and traditions, but every child deserves legal protection. Establishing a minimum marriage age protects children's rights without requiring the state to judge a particular culture or religion.

Myth 8: “If a child can work, have a baby, or make other important decisions, they should be able to marry.”

Fact: Different activities have different legal requirements and consequences. The ability to do one thing does not establish readiness for marriage, which can affect a person's legal rights, finances, education, and long-term independence.

Myth 9: “Banning child marriage takes away a child's freedom to choose whom they love.”

Fact: Establishing 18 as the minimum marriage age does not prevent young people from forming relationships. It establishes a clear legal boundary around marriage while they are still children. The aim is to protect their ability to make major life decisions as adults.

Myth 10: “Child marriage is already illegal, so additional legislation isn't necessary.”

Fact: Laws differ across states, and some still allow minors to marry under certain circumstances. In Maryland, the law prohibits marriage under age 17 but permits some 17-year-olds to marry under specified conditions. Closing that exception is central to the Maryland coalition's goal.

Myth 11: “Boys aren't affected by child marriage.”

Fact: Girls are disproportionately affected, but boys can also experience interrupted education, economic pressure, reduced autonomy, and other consequences of marrying before adulthood. Child marriage is a children's rights issue, regardless of gender.

Myth 12: “If a child isn't being forced to marry, there isn't a problem.”

Fact: Pressure is not always obvious. A young person may feel unable to refuse because of family expectations, financial dependence, fear of rejection, or limited alternatives. Legal protections matter even when overt force is not apparent.