Goal:
We launched a campaign to support the passage of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill in 2019 in the U.K.. The bill would ban child marriage in England and Wales and remove a legal exception that allowed 16 and 17-year-olds to marry with parental or familial consent, putting children at risk of being coerced into marriage.
Summary:
Freedom United’s campaign is led by Payzee Mahmod, a campaigner and survivor advocate, who has been working tirelessly to bring attention to the need for a ban on child marriage in the U.K.
Both Payzee and her sister, Banaz, were pressured into marriage in the UK at just 16 and 17 years old. Banaz was later murdered at the age of 20 in a so-called “honor” killing for leaving her abusive husband.2 Payzee was eventually able to divorce her husband who was 12 years older than her – but the lasting effects of her experience of child marriage stay with her.
Despite cases like Payzee’s and Banaz’s, the law continued to leave children unprotected. In England and Wales 16- and 17-year-olds were able to marry with parental consent, a legal exception that leaves children vulnerable to parental and familial coercion to enter into a marriage against their will.
That’s why Freedom United joined a coalition of organizations urging the U.K. to protect children by making child marriage a crime.
Timeline of events:
- January 27, 2020: Just two days ahead of Payzee’s talk in Parliament, Baroness Hussein-Ece introduced the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill to the House of Lords. The Bill is to revoke parental or judicial consent that permits the marriage or civil partnership of a child and to criminalize child marriage or civil partnership under the age of 18.
- January 29, 2020: Payzee raised awareness in the British Parliament with MPs urging the UK to ban child marriage. Freedom United powered Payzee and a strong coalition of organizations with over 100,000 voices calling for an end to child marriage in the U.K.
- October 2020: The bill, reintroduced by Pauline Latham MP, proceeds through the House of Commons and a second reading of the bill is due to take place in November. The Freedom United contacts U.K. MPs asking them to support the bill.
- June 11, 2021: The U.K. commits to raising the legal age of marriage to 18 in England & Wales, a crucial first step from the government.
- November 19, 2021: The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill passes its second reading with government support.
Outcome:
On April 27, 2022, the U.K. banned child marriage in England and Wales by passing the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill with no opposition. 254,034 in the Freedom United community signed the petition, wrote to MPs, and kept up the pressure on decision-makers to ban child marriage and better protect children from forced marriage.
We are so proud of our campaign leader and survivor advocate, Payzee Mahmod, and the Freedom United community and partners who helped make this happen.
Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.
Right on! This is the 21st century. Our average lifespan is a lot more than 35 nowadays and our world is much more complex than in times past. We should let kids be kids and let them finish their education.
Fantastic news! Everyone deserves a proper childhood and the chance to make their own choice in life as to if, when and whom they marry.
I hope this legislation also prevents children being taken overseas for the purpose of arranged and forced marriage, because this is obviously what will happen, it should be on pain of loss of UK citizenship if convicted!
As one of the quarter of a million people who signed the Freedom United petition to ban child marriage in England and Wales, I should like to thank Payzee, Miriam, and the rest of the leadership of FU, as well as all those who were concerned enough about this issue to take action, for collectively bringing about our desired outcome.
Ban child marriage! It’s a crime!