Durbin Statement Regarding House Blocking Passage of a Bill to Protect Women and Girls from Child Marriage

Press Release

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement tonight after members of the House blocked passage of the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act -- a bipartisan bill to protect women and girls in developing countries from child marriages. The bill, introduced by Durbin and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME), requires the U.S. government to develop an integrated, strategic approach to combating child marriage with the goal of eliminating this practice worldwide. The bill also seeks to promote the educational, health, economic, social, and legal empowerment of women and girls.

"The action on the House floor stopping the Child Marriage bill tonight will endanger the lives of millions of women and girls around the world. These young girls, enslaved in marriage, will be brutalized and many will die when their young bodies are torn apart while giving birth. Those who voted to continue this barbaric practice brought shame to Capitol Hill."

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that 60 million girls in developing countries now ages 20 to 24 were married under the age of 18. The Population Council estimates that the number will increase by 100 million over the next decade if current trends continue.

Child marriage is often carried out through force or coercion. It deprives young girls -- and sometimes boys - of their dignity and human rights. In some countries, it is not uncommon for girls as young as seven or eight years old to be married. These young victims are robbed of their childhoods.

In addition to denying tens of millions of women and girls their dignity, child marriage also endangers their health. Marriage at an early age puts girls at greater risk of dying as a result of childbirth. Pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading cause of death for women 15 to 19 years old in developing countries. Their children also face higher mortality rates.

The International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act passed the Senate unanimously. The bill is sponsored in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Betty McCollum and Congressman Ander Crenshaw and has 112 cosponsors.

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