The California Coalition to End Child Marriage is convened to change policies starting with the state of California. Our partners advocate for the adoption of legislation that restricts marriage to a contract between two consenting adults at a minimum age of 18. These laws are called “No Child Marriage, No Exceptions” laws.

Across the U.S., approximately 300,000 children were married between 2000 and 2018. MOSTLY, YOUNG girls wed to adult men.

Many states, including California, allow for marriage under the age of 18, with parental consent and/or judicial consent. These exceptions including parental consent and judicial consent have allowed vulnerable children to be married into legal contracts that take away their rights to sovereignty and make children vulnerable to abusive marriages. Child marriage limits girls’ access to education and access to economic opportunities while decreasing health outcomes and increasing their risk of experiencing domestic violence.