Advocacy Project: Eliminate Child Marriage w/UNICEF

How Does Zonta Work to Eliminate Child Marriage?

Globally, UNICEF & Zonta International and D5 Support this Effort Tirelessly. Zonta has supported ending child marriage since 2014, initially contributing US$2 million to delay early marriage in Niger from 2014-2018. From 2018-2024, Zonta contributed US$4.7 million to the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage – the first private-sector donor to the Global Programme. Zonta’s signature program has since expanded to include 12 countries.  For 2026-2028, Zonta International has committed US$1.5 million to UNICEF USA to support the latest phase of the project. Click here for the Project Description.

In the United States, there are still many problems with girls being forced to marry with a parent’s consent under the age of 18. Only 18 states (as of November 2026) have completely forbidden it. Zonta supports the USA Caucus and its efforts to either amend existing state laws or to establish new ones. View this new video, Unseen Housewives, from Unchained at Last, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBEdswF1oTo&t=99s

Zonta USA Caucus Zonta Local Chair: Rosanne Dunlap (Cleveland, OH)

Girls Not Brides Organization: https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/about-child-marriage