I am calling on U.S. lawmakers to support bills that would end child marriage without exception, as a means of building resilience against forced marriage, which is recognized as a form of modern slavery.

Whilst not all child marriages are forced, and adults are also victims, children are particularly vulnerable to being coerced into marriage. Then they can be subjected to physical abuse, labor, and sexual exploitation, and find it nearly impossible to leave.

Making child marriage illegal is an important step towards empowering children to stand against coercion and seek safety from authorities to better protect them from forced marriage.

The time is now!