In this report commissioned by the Ford Foundation, Estela Rivero and José Luis Palma explore what we know about child marriage in Mexico, which has the eighth highest number of child marriages worldwide.
In this country where over 30% of girls in many rural areas are married or in non-formal union, child marriage can take different forms across regions.
The report calls on the government to adopt a multi-level strategy in order to address this complex practice. With 83% of married girls aged 12-17 years who are out of school, action is needed to guarantee access to quality education at the secondary level and beyond. In a society where many girls enter in union because they perceive that it is what is expected from them, action is also needed to challenge social norms that sustain child marriage.