UN Declares November 27 as International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage
The United Nations General Assembly has officially adopted a landmark resolution establishing November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage.
Adopted by consensus by all 193 UN Member States, the resolution recognises child, early and forced marriage not simply as a social practice, but as a grave human rights violation and a significant barrier to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The resolution calls on Member States, civil society organisations and international partners to intensify efforts to prevent and ultimately eliminate these harmful practices.
The declaration follows years of collaborative advocacy led by African First Ladies, grassroots organisations and global child rights defenders. Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone and President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), has been a prominent advocate for the initiative.
Welcoming the decision, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio said the resolution represents a global commitment to ensuring that children, particularly girls, can grow up with the freedom to learn, dream and reach their full potential.
“Today, the world has spoken with one voice: child, early and forced marriage has no place in our societies,” she said, emphasising that the declaration should serve as a mandate for meaningful action.
The initiative was also championed by Bhuwan Ribhu, Founder of Just Rights for Children, who raised the call at the Commission on the Status of Women. Following the adoption of the resolution, he said the focus must now shift towards accountability and coordinated action.
He called for governments, civil society, faith leaders, communities and children to work together on prevention and protection, while recognising child marriage as a crime. He also urged governments to provide decisive leadership to end child marriage by 2030.
The Office of the First Lady of Sierra Leone, under Dr. Fatima Maada Bio’s leadership, works to advance the rights of women and children, with a focus on education, healthcare and efforts to eliminate gender-based violence.
Just Rights for Children, a global child rights network founded by Bhuwan Ribhu, is committed to ending child exploitation and ensuring that every child can enjoy a safe, healthy and dignified childhood. According to the organisation, it has prevented and stopped more than 550,000 child marriages since 2023.
The establishment of November 27 as an international day creates a dedicated annual platform to strengthen global attention and action towards the elimination of child, early and forced marriage.
Source: USA Today Press Release
সূত্র: USA Today PressReleasehttps://www.usatoday.com/press-release/story/42209/un-declares-nov-27-as-day-against-child-marriage/?utm