Legislation to End Child Marriage in the U.S.

Unchained leads a growing national movement to set the marriage age at 18, no exceptions, in every U.S. state. Strategies Unchained uses to achieve this massive and massively important goal include:

Identifying priority states

Focus on a select group of key states during each legislative session

Drafting simple, commonsense legislation

Use clear language to eliminate the dangerous loopholes that allow marriage before 18

Finding reliable legislative champion(s)

Identify passionate legislators to sponsor and introduce bills

Conducting in-depth research

Conduct in-depth research and analysis on the extent of child marriage in the state and on the specific legal framework in the state that renders the current marriage-age laws dangerous (in conjunction with the law firm White & Case)

Creating written materials

Draft a detailed, extensive version and a one-page summary based on Unchained’s research findings and on the FAQs team members have heard from legislators across the U.S.

Building and managing a coalition

Build and manage a robust Coalition to End Child Marriage, comprised of local and state groups, activists and survivors

Identifying local survivors

Connect with local survivors who want to share their story publicly to help effect change

Meeting with legislators

Meet with every single state legislator to urge support for ending child marriage – including maintaining a database to track how many have pledged support, with a goal of getting to 100 percent

Testifying at legislative hearings and submitting written memos of support

Coordinate an avalanche of oral and written testimony from allies and survivors

Launching email campaigns

Create email campaigns that allow constituents to ask their own legislators to support ending child marriage

Raising awareness through media

Spread the word through media interviews, op-ed articles and social media

Planning Chain-Ins and other events

Raise further awareness and garner grassroots support through Chain-Ins and other events, including webinars and briefing sessions

Learn more here about Unchained’s progress to end child marriage across the U.S.