The United Nations establishes November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage

The United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution establishing November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage. The resolution, brought forward by Sierra Leone and co-sponsored by 66 other countries, aims to raise the global profile of child marriage as a human rights violation. The administration announced that the goal is to end child marriage by 2030, aligning with global sustainable development goals. Bhuwan Ribhu, the founder of Just Rights for Children, proposed the resolution to provide an annual platform for government accountability and enforcement of laws protecting children. Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, the Sierra Leone First Lady, addressed the General Assembly, noting that the resolution serves as a global mandate for action. The declaration received international support, with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcoming the move as an affirmation of the state's crackdown on underage weddings. In the United States, legislators introduced the Child Marriage Prevention Act to push for a national minimum marriage age of 18. While some advocates support the bill, others argue that certain provisions, such as allowing minors as young as 16 to qualify for spousal visas, may encourage trafficking.

Sources

• NPR
  Whatever happened to the U.S. campaign to ban child marriage?
• NDTV
  NDTV's Global Impact: UN Declares November 27 Day Against Child Marriage
• Global Issues.Org
  UN Declares International Day to Eliminate Child Marriage
• ThePrint
  UN declaring Nov 27 as international day against child marriage affirms Assam”s steps: CM

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Paywall and unreadable sources

• The Times of India
  UN approves resolution to declare Nov 27 as ‘International Day For Elimination Of Child, Early & Forced Marriage’