The number of child marriages in Malaysia has fallen by 37% over the past four years. This was made possible by the implementation of the National Strategic Plan to Address Child Marriage, which includes educational programs, support for families, and measures to improve socioeconomic conditions.
The government is paying particular attention to changing public perceptions of child marriage, while taking the country’s cultural and religious traditions into account. The authorities aim to reduce the number of such unions by offering alternative ways to support families and children.
In recent years, other countries have taken similar steps. For example, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Sierra Leone, and Estonia have introduced strict restrictions on marriage by minors. In the United States, the issue is regulated at the state level, and since 2018 several states have banned such marriages entirely. In Georgia, the share of child marriages has nearly halved over the past two decades, while in Uzbekistan their number has fallen from nearly 5,000 to 74 over the past five years.
Global experience shows that the most effective measures to combat child marriage include improving access to education, information campaigns, and programs to tackle poverty. These initiatives not only help reduce the number of early marriages but also contribute to improving children’s lives by giving them more opportunities for personal growth and to fulfill their potential.
