Establish a worldwide definition of a child, and define the age at which they are deemed no longer a child.
Why is this important?
Children are dying from internal injuries - According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), between 2011 and 2020, more than 140 million girls will become child brides (before the age of 18). 50 million will be under the age of 15.
One of the main issues is that there is currently no consistent established definition of a “child” that has been agreed upon worldwide. This leaves various interpretations within countries and little protection for those who are affected.
Establishing this age limit is among the top priorities of groups like HRC which was responsible for publishing the 54-page report “How Come You Allow Little Girls to Get Married?”, documenting the lifelong damage to girls who are forced to marry at young ages. Most pro age-limit organizations agree that 18 should be the legal age for marriage.
In February 2009, a law was created in Yemen that set the minimum age for marriage at 17. Unfortunately, it was repealed after more conservative lawmakers called it un-Islamic.
