Around the world, harmful practices rooted in gender inequality and discrimination deny millions of women and girls their fundamental rights.
Practices like child, early, and forced marriages and unions (CEFMU), female genital mutilation (FGM), and bride kidnapping are human rights violations, primarily used to reinforce the subordination of women and girls. They are fueled by inequality, social norms, economic hardship, and deeply rooted patriarchal values.
UNICEF estimates that at least 230 million women and girls have been affected by FGM, and the number of girls at risk annually is likely to increase from 4.4 million in 2024, to 4.6 million in 2030. Child marriage, or Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU), affects approximately 12 million girls every year, with the total number of survivors worldwide estimated to be 640 million.
To meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets that have been set by the United Nations for fully eliminating these harmful practices, the rate of global progress needs to increase by 27 times for FGM, and by 20 times for child marriage.
At Equality Now, we believe that the law is key to protecting women and girls from harmful practices and eliminating FGM and CEFMU.
We push for governments to be held accountable to their commitments, including compliance with international human rights standards like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and regional conventions.
We know the law only works when it is implemented effectively, and when it is accompanied by community education and awareness-raising. We address underlying social and gender norms, empower girls and women to lead the transformation of cultural attitudes, and through our partners work together with communities to support these processes.
We use legal frameworks to challenge FGM and child marriage, advocating for protective laws that align with human rights standards. Our global, regional, and national publications on child marriage and FGM have contributed to in-depth analysis of cutting-edge issues, and help inform evidence-driven advocacy of Equality Now and our partners.
We partner with regional coalitions, survivor-led movements, grassroots activists, and international networks to drive collective action. From the Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C to the National Coalition to End Child Marriage in the United States, we convene and connect with others to drive change.
Our legal advocacy has led to stronger laws in countries like Zambia, Colombia, and The Gambia. We promote enforcement through the multi-sectoral approach to FGM and support national campaigns to end child marriage with no legal exceptions.
We work across regions, Africa, the Americas, Asia, Eurasia, the Middle East, to deliver systemic change. Our approach is survivor-centered, intersectional, and rooted in community collaboration.