Across most of the United States, child marriage, defined as any formal or informal union involving a person under 18, remains legal.
According to research conducted by Unchained At Last, between 2000 and 2021, more than 314,000 minors were legally married, some as young as just 10 years old.
Since 2018, 16 states have enacted laws prohibiting marriage under the age of 18 without exceptions. Despite this progress, a substantial legal overhaul is still required to fully and effectively ban child marriage across the United States.
Equality Now has analysed the ongoing legal and systemic gaps that enable child marriage to persist in the United States.

What’s inside the report?

An overview of international legal standards on child marriage
A comprehensive analysis of legal gaps in domestic law and policy that permit and encourage child marriage in the US
An outline of the consequences women and girls can experience when exceptions to minimum age marriage laws remain in place
A detailed list of recommendations for state and federal policymakers, civil society, and international actors to take meaningful action to end the harmful practice and uphold the rights of girls across the country

Who’s it for?

State and federal policymakers
Civil society organisations
Representatives from international human rights mechanisms

Key recommendations

State legislators should set 18 as the minimum age of marriage without exceptions
Federal legislators and agencies should close legal loopholes in federal laws and incentivise all states and territories to strengthen protections in child marriage laws
Civil society organisations should continue to raise awareness about child marriage and mobilise communities to advocate for change
International advocates should hold the United States accountable to international human rights standards

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26 أغسطس 2025

25 pages

The state of gender equality in the US: A Universal Periodic Review shadow report

This shadow report outlines how the U.S. is failing to meet international human rights obligations on sex equality, child marriage, FGM/C, and online sexual abuse, urging action ahead of its 2025 Universal Periodic Review.

Civil society organisation toolkit: Gender equality & protection gaps in the United States

This toolkit helps CSOs and advocates push for gender equality in the U.S., focusing on constitutional rights, child marriage, FGM/C, and online abuse ahead of the 50th Session of the Universal Periodic Review.

I need the ERA because…a girl is not a wife – Child marriage

It is estimated by Unchained at Last that about 300,000 children were married in the United States between 2000 and 2018, the majority of which were young girls married to adult men. Hundreds of thousands of American children were entered into matrimony because 43 states don’t have laws that prohibit marriage under the age of 18, without exception, and there is no federal law prohibiting it.

Legal gaps and enduring harm: Analysing the persistence of child marriage in the United States

What’s inside the report?

Who’s it for?

Key recommendations

About

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Explore more resources

The state of gender equality in the US: A Universal Periodic Review shadow report

Civil society organisation toolkit: Gender equality & protection gaps in the United States

I need the ERA because…a girl is not a wife – Child marriage

Legal gaps and enduring harm: Analysing the persistence of child marriage in the United States

What’s inside the report?

Who’s it for?

Key recommendations

About

Languages

Classification

More information

Explore more resources

The state of gender equality in the US: A Universal Periodic Review shadow report

Civil society organisation toolkit: Gender equality & protection gaps in the United States

I need the ERA because…a girl is not a wife – Child marriage

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