The vast majority of countries prohibit child marriage, yet some 15 million girls are still married before 18 every year. The problem? Without an official ID, many of them are unable to prove they’re underage.
Stronger birth certificate and marriage registration systems can help make the ban on child marriage more effective—and give girls a chance at a brighter future.
Underage with an ID to prove it
Rubi’s Story: Exulted, Rubi ran home. As fast as her fifteen-year-old legs could carry her, she ran, exam in hand, excited to share the results with her family. The results, she believed, would shape her fate. Yet when she got home, the elation dissipated with the dust. Her father had his own news t…