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We carry out formative research on gender norms and beliefs that influence the prevalence of marriage in childhood and adolescence, that is, marriage in which one of the spouses is under 18 years of age. In turn, this research is used to raise public awareness and develop programs and policies designed to combat this issue worldwide.

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Intervention

Research-based educational curricula promote critical reflection on harmful gender norms and challenge, prevent, and reduce the consequences of child marriage globally.

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Advocacy

Formative research on child marriage aims to serve as a basis for national-level policies that aim to make structural changes and stimulate transformations at the community level, through the mobilization of parents and families, questioning norms that support and justify child marriage.

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Although the data is inconsistent and of low quality in some contexts, marriage in childhood and adolescence is a global problem, as it is practiced in different regions of the world and among people of different religions. Child marriage growth rates are highest in West and Sub-Saharan Africa, while the highest number of child marriages is recorded in South Asia. Although Brazil has been largely absent from global debates on the topic, in 2013 it was on the list of countries with the highest number of marriages.

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Both boys and girls can be involved in child marriage, however, girls are disproportionately affected. Experiences in various contexts demonstrate that appropriate legislation and policies and initiatives aimed at changing social norms can have positive effects in protecting girls' right to freely decide if, when and with whom they want to marry – especially if these provide viable alternatives to marriage, such as access the education. An important step to improving the impact of these types of initiatives is to involve men and boys as positive role models. The participation of men and boys in preventing child marriage is based on research demonstrating that adolescent girls benefit from the involvement of male caregivers. Girls who were cared for by positively involved men tend to experience less sexual violence or early and unwanted sexual activity, have greater self-esteem, reflect better on the beginning of their sexual life and seek partners with more gender-equitable attitudes and behaviors.

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Promundo conducted formative research and developed programmatic tools to combat child marriage in India and Brazil. One such tool is the MenCare A More Equal Future manual , which is designed to engage fathers, daughters, and families in critically analyzing and changing social norms that support child marriage in India. Drawing on formative research conducted with communities in Agra, India, the handbook includes discussions of father-daughter relationships, gender norms, child marriage, and violence. Developed by World Vision and Promundo, A More Equal Future questions social and cultural practices that support the perpetuation of child marriage in India. Activities include focus groups with men, their partners and daughters, as well as mobilizing men and fathers as campaign participants to end child marriage. These activities have had a positive effect on men's lives, including a greater understanding of the impact of gender inequality in the practice of child marriage and the division of domestic and caring tasks.

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Brazil has been largely absent from global debates and actions to influence policies around the prevention of marriage in childhood and adolescence, despite currently being the fourth country with the highest absolute number of girls married by the age of 15. There is a high rate of child marriage in Brazil, with more than 38% of girls married by the age of 18. The nature and implications of girl marriage in Brazil have been absent from national research and policy agendas, as well as in other countries in the Latin American region.

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Promundo expanded its analytical efforts related to child and adolescent marriage through research in Brazil between 2013 and 2015 with support from the Ford Foundation. With a view to better understanding the attitudes, practices and implications of these marriages in Brazil, Promundo began research with partners in the states of Pará (Federal University of Pará – UFPA) and Maranhão (Plan Maranhão). These states have the highest rates of child marriage, which is often associated with informal unions and cohabitation. The results, published in the report “She goes on my boat”: Marriage in Childhood and Adolescence in Brazil , will contribute to building a knowledge base to develop interventions and programs in this area in Brazil, the Latin American region and the world.

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In 2014, Promundo-USA and Instituto Promundo (Brazil) became members of Girls Not Brides, a global network that brings together more than 400 civil society organizations from more than 60 countries working to end to child marriage. Promundo was the first Brazilian organization to form the network and one of the pioneers in the region.

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Related programs:

• IMAGES (International Men and Gender Equity Survey) : IMAGES measures the attitudes and practices of men – with opinions and reports from women – including a wide range of topics related to gender equity.

• MenCare : The MenCare campaign promotes men's equal involvement in caregiving and equitable, non-violent fatherhood practices around the world.