Successful experiences and lessons learned from Latin America and the Caribbean

In 2015, the regional inter-agency group on gender equality and women’s empowerment developed an inter-agency flagship initiative on “ending child marriage in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)” approved by the Regional Directors of the UN Development Group for LAC in April 2015. 

The objective of the initiative is to promote changes in legislation to eliminate all legal exceptions to the minimum age for marriage in countries where the legislation is not yet aligned with international standards (18 for both girls and boys without exceptions). The agencies that are co-leading this initiative are UN Women, UNICEF, UNFPA, PAHO/WHO, and UNAIDS. One of the products of this initiative is the elaboration of a guidance note on successful experiences and lessons learned on change of legislation on the age of marriage in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The guidance note is available in English and Spanish.