UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage
Progress report 2016
The United Nations moved to adopt the elimination of child marriage as part of its gender equality goal within the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework, under Target 5.3 on harmful practices. With these goals in mind, UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) secured funding and support to put in place joint efforts to combat child marriage: the Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage, the first official year of which is reported on here. With significant support from partners and donors, UNICEF and UNFPA launched a joint effort in 12 countries. The work of the Global Programme covers four regions: Eastern and Southern Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and West and Central Africa.Results include:
- More than 754,000 girls reached through girls' clubs, schooling initiatives, skills training and more in 2016.
- 1.6 million individuals reached: Initiatives designed to facilitate a change in attitude and practice related to girls' rights are well established and have already reached more than 1.6 million individuals, including girls, boys, religious leaders, elders and key decision makers through scaling-up efforts.
- Engaging with regional and national governing bodies to galvanize political action and will, and to promote the allocation of resources to ending child marriage.
- Strengthening of sectoral systems such as education for in-school and out-of-school girls to prevent or ameliorate the effects of child marriage.