Child marriage remains legal in the United States as global leaders backtrack on gender equality
The rollback on women’s rights is accelerating as world leaders fail to act against child marriage, gender-based violence, forced labour, and human trafficking.
Millions of women and girls remain at risk with governments failing to meet gender equality commitments.
The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) taking place in New York from 10-21 March 2025 is a critical moment to address these urgent challenges.
However, global leaders are failing to uphold their commitments to gender equality, allowing child marriage, forced labour, and human trafficking to continue.
President Donald Trump’s administration is failing to act on child marriage in the US
In the United States, only 13 out of 50 states have banned child marriage as of 2024.
There is still no minimum age of marriage established in law in California, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
Studies by frontline organisations found that more than 300,000 girls and boys under the age of 18 were married in the US between 2000 and 2018, with the majority aged between 16-17 years old.
The Child Marriage Prevention Bill was introduced to the US Congress in August 2024 and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
No further action has been taken on the bill under President Trump’s administration.
Global leaders must act now to end child marriage and modern slavery
CSW69 brings together government officials, accredited civil society organisations, and UN agencies to discuss gender equality.
The Beijing+5 framework, adopted in 2000, aimed to advance women’s rights, but in the 25 years since, there has been a concerning rollback. Without urgent action, progress toward gender equality will continue to stall.
It is happening at the same time as mass protests. Thousands of people are protesting across the city about the disappearance and attempted deportation of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil by the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, activists outside the UN headquarters in New York are protesting the backlash against women’s rights and calling for gender equality to be realised for all women.
Ending child marriage is critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
The UN recognises gender equality as an ‘accelerator’ essential for meeting all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This includes SDG Target 8.7, which calls for immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and eliminate the worst forms of child labour.
Child marriage directly undermines this goal, as it has been associated with a higher likelihood of poor birth outcomes, unplanned pregnancies, and worse mental health outcomes compared to women who were not married before the age of 18.
Despite global commitments, child marriage remains legal in many parts of the world, including the United States.
United Nations fails to protect key rights for women and girls
Despite mounting evidence of harm, global leaders have failed to take action to end child marriage, gender-based violence, and modern slavery.
At CSW69, member states removed references to sexual and reproductive health rights from the political declaration adopted on 6 March.
This rollback is particularly concerning, as access to sexual and reproductive healthcare is a key protection against forced and child marriage.
Reports suggest that this change was the result of closed-door negotiations led by the US and Russia to dilute the final text.
Governments must take immediate action to end child marriage and modern slavery
Decisive action is needed to reverse the global rollback on women’s rights.
Child marriage and modern slavery must be included in gender equality discussions, with governments and international organisations committing to stronger protections and accountability measures.
Failure to act now will leave millions of women and girls at risk, undermining decades of progress toward equality and human rights.
