U.S. Congress pushes federal ban on child marriage amid global and domestic debate

In July, Rep. Gwen Moore and Senators Dick Durbin, Brian Schatz and Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the Child Marriage Prevention Act, aiming to push every state toward a uniform marriage age of 18 and to collect data on underage marriages. The legislation references more than 314,000 minors legally married in the United States from 2000 to 2021, most of whom were girls married to adult men. Supporters, including the Tahirih Justice Center, argue that a federal standard would strengthen state reforms and protect vulnerable youths, while critics like activist Fraidy Reiss contend that sections offering grants to study child marriage and permitting spousal visas for 16-year-olds undermine the bill’s purpose.

The U.S. push coincides with a U.N. General Assembly resolution establishing November 27 as the International Day to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage and mirrors recent bans in Sierra Leone, Colombia and Bolivia. Nonetheless, enforcement challenges persist, as seen in India where child marriage remains common despite legal prohibitions. Advocates stress that legal change must be paired with shifts in cultural attitudes and community practices to end the practice globally.