Motherhood in Childhood

© Mark Tuschman/Global Fund for Women
social norms and to empower girls. Timing is
key; these interventions, especially schooling
and asset-building for girls, must be directed at
young adolescents (10 to 14 years old)—before
or around the time of puberty—in order to
counter pressures on girls for marriage and
childbearing for social and economic security.
Programmes have yielded demonstrable results
at the community level even in a short amount
of time.
Specifically, governments, civil society, community
leaders and families that are serious
about ending child marriage should consider:
• Helping girls go to and stay in school and
learn skills so they can develop a livelihood,
communicate better, negotiate, and make
decisions that directly affect their lives;
• Initiating programmes for community leaders,
religious leaders and parents to increase their
support for girls’ rights and education, later
marriage and for changing harmful norms
and practices;
• Supporting programmes that give girls alternatives
to child marriage, including safe spaces
for girls to build agency, help them overcome
social isolation, allow them to interact with
peers and mentors, gain critical life skills and
consider aspirations that do not involve child
marriage and early motherhood;
• Offering conditional cash transfers to keep
girls in school and unconditional cash transfers
to prevent child marriage and pregnancy;
• Providing information about life options
and development of life plans and support
networks;
• Promulgating, enforcing and building community
support for laws on the minimum
age of marriage;
92 CHAPTER 5: CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD