We know what works to increase age of marriage in communities where child marriage is common. So why are so few Republicans backing legislation to support those development programs?
Too often, American policy makers claim that the United States should not get involved in addressing child marriage because the practice is rooted in cultural or religious traditions.
The media images and descriptions of young girls being wed to much older men in places such as Afghanistan, India and Ethiopia have captured the public mind in recent months. These reports tell the story of young girls being sold off, often for a modest bride price, to a life of poverty, social isolation, early and frequent childbearing -- even domestic violence and early death due to higher risks of maternal mortality or HIV/AIDS. The New York Times, National Public Radio, Wall Street Journal,Glamour magazine, and mainstream America get the urgency of eradicating child marriage. But most U.S. policymakers are not reacting. Why?
