Forced marriages and unions

The term "child, early and forced marriage" has been accepted in United Nations (UN) documents to describe the harmful practice of a marriage or union where at least one of the parties is a person under 18 years of age. It is a complex term and includes several aggravating conditions:

The term 'children's refers to marriages and unions that take place before the age of 18, the end of childhood according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The term 'Early'. refers to the fact that for adolescent girls who marry, the timing of their entry into marriage or union is problematic; for example, it competes with their schooling or physical development.

We say 'forced'. to highlight the structural inequalities that drive MUITF around the world, the conditions that determine whether a marriage or union is truly a "choice": the low expectations for girls, the domestic work and control they experience in their natal homes, and the limited commitment to their schooling. In addition, their marriages and unions take place with men who are often older, more experienced, more educated and have better economic prospects, resulting in girls living a life of marital inequality and even violence.

In our region we add the word unions to the concept to reflect informal marriages or free unions that are customary and equivalent to marriage. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the term marriage should be understood to include unions that are not formalized by religious institutions or the state.

Hence, the term used by Plan is: Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Union (CEFMU)

Plan International condemns the practice of child, early and forced marriage and unions, which is a violation of human rights, a harmful practice and a form of gender-based violence.

Plan International argues that, given its multiple causes and consequences, ending CEFMU requires a multi-sectoral and coordinated approach to prevention and response. Action to eliminate MUITF must involve strong commitment, funding and concerted action by stakeholders at multiple levels, including individual, family, community, national, regional and international, as well as strategies to address the harmful gender norms that continue to drive the practice of CEFMU.