Success: The end of child brides in Guatemala
This is a major success for Guatemala and our Because I am a Girl campaign that mobilised the general public, children, local authorities and other organisations to take action to help raise the age of legal marriage. In the UK, we’ve been raising awareness of the negative impacts that child marriage has upon girls and their societies through campaigns such as the Ring campaign.
Previously, the minimum age for marriage in Guatemala was 14 for girls and 16 for boys. Between 2009 and 2013, more than 80,000 girls under 18-years-old got married, and the majority were with men who tripled their age.
We are very excited about the new law because it will protect girls against sexual abuse, teen pregnancies, trafficking and physical and emotional violence. Now girls will be able to continue their education and fulfil their potential.
In Guatemala, our challenge now is to widely disseminate the new law, especially in the rural communities where the traditions and culture still reinforce these negative practices.
