Protecting children’s choices and opportunities
Child marriage is a formal marriage or informal union involving someone younger than 18. UNICEF recognises it as a violation of children’s rights that can disrupt education, wellbeing and future opportunities.
Girls are disproportionately affected. Poverty, limited educational opportunities and restrictive gender expectations can contribute to the practice.
CADEF’s programme approach
CADEF’s child protection and gender equality work aims to address barriers that limit girls’ choices. Programme priorities include life-skills learning, access to appropriate information, support for education and community dialogue.
Engaging caregivers, community leaders, men and boys is part of the approach to challenging harmful expectations and supporting adolescent girls.
Children at risk, and children already in a union, need respectful support and links to qualified services. Confidential individual cases are not used as public evidence of programme reach.
Supporting children’s choices
Community child protection activities · My Body My Pride activities
Partnerships can help sustain education support, life-skills learning and community dialogue, giving local protection efforts the resources and connections they need.