A Milestone in the Fight Against Child Marriage: With AHA’s help Washington, Virginia, and New Hampshire Take a Stand
Published on 9/10/24
This year, after years of tireless advocacy and unwavering commitment from the AHA Foundation, survivors, supporters, and our dedicated allies, Washington, Virginia, and New Hampshire passed laws to end child marriage. This achievement represents a monumental victory in our ongoing fight to protect children from the devastating impacts of child marriage.
In Washington, we witnessed a significant victory earlier this year. AHA testified at hearings, protested child marriage at the State House, and met with legislators to educate them on the severe harms of child marriage. On March 7, 2024, Governor Jay Inslee signed legislation into law, which was championed by Representative Stonier and Senators Dhingra and Stanford. Remarkably, Washington previously had no minimum age specified in its marriage laws, making this change a crucial step toward safeguarding children in the state.
Virginia also took a major step forward in protecting its youth from the dangers of child marriage. Governor Glenn Youngkin signed legislation filed by Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra, officially ending child marriage in Virginia, without any exceptions. Before this crucial law, a dangerous loophole allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to be forced into marriage without having the full rights of adulthood. This loophole allowed girls to suffer severe abuse and harm under the guise of legal marriage. Thanks to the tireless efforts of AHA, our allies, supporters, and the brave survivors who shared their stories, minors in Virginia will no longer be trapped in this nightmarish situation.
With the help of AHA and allies, New Hampshire became the 13th state to end child marriage! After seven long years of relentless advocacy, Governor Chris Sununu signed the legislation to finally put an end to this harmful practice in the state. We are deeply honored to have worked with our dedicated partners on this critical issue and are immensely grateful for the commitment of bill sponsors Senator Debra Altschiller and Representative Cassie Levesque.
AHA played a significant role in both victories by testifying at key hearings and providing crucial support to ensure these laws were passed. Our advocacy efforts are also paving the way for change in other states and Washington D.C.
We are incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made, but we know there is still much work to be done. With 13 states down, we remain committed to seeing all 50 states enact laws to end child marriage. Together, we can create a future where every child is free to grow up without being forced into marriage or the devastating impacts of child marriage. Thank you for standing with us in this critical fight.