Child Marriage and the Significance of Global Norm Diffusion

Child marriage is defined as a person entering marriage before the age of 18. A number of international human rights norms and conventions aim to eliminate the practice which predominantly affects girls. Each year 12 million girls become child brides across the globe; many in contexts where child marriage is allowed according to the law. What role does law play in the persistence of the practice? How important are human rights and international norms diffusion in how countries deal with these matters – in law and in practice?

Participants: Kerstin Hamann (University of Central Florida), Marit Skivenes (DIPA), Jayna Kothari (Centre for Policy Research), Samah Khalaf Allah (tbc*, Sudanese Organization for Research and Development) 

Moderator: Liv Tønnessen (LawTransform / CMI)