S. 414: International

Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage

Act of 2011Jasmine Sath

AP Government Per. 4

Lohman May 2012

A bill to protect girls in developing countries through the prevention of child marriage, and for other purposes.

The bill?

Defines "child marriage" as the marriage of a girl or boy not yet the minimum age for marriage stipulated in law in the country in which the girl or boy is a resident, or where there is no such law, under the age of 18.

Congressional Info

Introduced by Senator Richard Durbin (Democrat from Illinois) on February 17, 2011

35 Cosponsors (including both Senators from CA: Barbara Boxer and

Dianne Feinstein)

112th Congress

What progress has it made?

2/17/2011: Read twice

and referred to the

Committee on Foreign

Relations

2/14/2012: Committee on

Foreign Relations.

Ordered to be reported without

amendment favorably.

5/23/2012: Reported by

Senator Kerry without

amendment. With written

report No. 112-170.

5/23/2012: Placed on

Senate Legislative Calendar

under General Orders.

Calendar No. 412.

5/24/2012: Passed Senate

without amendment

by unanimous Voice Vote.

5/25/2012: Message on

Senate action sent to the

House.

Some facts…

76 % in Niger74 % in the Democratic Republic of

Congo54 % in Afghanistan

50 % in India51 % in Bangladesh

Some Percentages of girls (aged 15 to 19) married by age 18…

• the President is authorized to provide assistance to prevent child marriage in developing countries, and to promote the educational, health, economic, social, and legal empowerment of girls and women.

• Priority should be given to areas or regions in developing countries in which 40 percent or more of girls under the age of 18 are married.

What does the bill call for?(Official Summary)

• Amends the Foreign

Assistance Act of 1961, requiring the State Department to report on this harmful practice in its annual human rights report

• Integrating child marriage prevention efforts into existing development programs

What does the bill call for?(Official Summary)

Arguments for passageChild marriage is a violation of human rights.Child marriage undermines U.S. investments in foreign assistance to improve women's and girls' education, health, economic and legal status.Although families marry off their daughters to ensure safety and support, these young girls often face a greater risk of violence within marriage. Delaying marriage and providing quality sexuality education will help reduce maternal mortality and other illnesses, and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, while improving the health of future children.In many developing countries, the leading causes of death for girls aged 15-19 are complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.

^ A 6 year old bride with her 23 year old groom. ^

An 11 year old bride with her 40 year old groom.

Support!The United Nations Population Fund

The bill was introduced again in 2009/2010 by Senator Durbin, but it did

not pass the House (241-166) despite being passed unanimously in the Senate.

The bill was first introduced in 2007 by Congresswoman McCollum in 2007, where it made very little progress.

Similar bills under different titles have been introduced in recent years, although they did not get

quite as far.

The primary reason for the bill’s failure to pass was a coalition of Republicans

in the House who voted against it.

Let’s look at the bill from 2009/2010…

THE CONCERNS?

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-

Lehtinen sent a letter to House Republicans

urging them to oppose the bill on the basis that it

would cost approximately $108

million.

House Majority leader Eric Cantor’s office

contended that the bill should be voted

against based on “pro-life” concerns.

What Congresswoman McCollum thought:“The International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act failed last night not because of the issue, but because a handful of Republicans chose partisan politics over the basic human rights of young girls.”

Bibliography

http://www.iwhc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2306&Itemid=1154

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2010/12/17/shameful-republicans-kill-bill-prevent-child-marriage

http://www.icrw.org/preventing-child-marriage

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s414

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s414/show

http://tribune.com.pk/story/92082/childrens-rights-stricter-laws-needed-against-child-marriage/

http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2005/presskit/factsheets/facts_child_marriage.htm