Even today, people under 18 are still getting married in the United States. Many states still have laws that allow kids to marry, often with the permission of a parent or a judge.

For a long time, there has been a push to make child marriage illegal everywhere in the country. NPR recently looked into why this campaign has slowed down. Even though many people agree that kids should not be married, the laws are not changing as fast as some had hoped.

This is not just a problem in the U.S. Groups around the world are also fighting to end the practice. The International Bar Association, a group of lawyers from all over the world, recently passed a resolution. They are calling for governments everywhere to stop allowing child marriage completely.

Some critics think the world is not doing enough. For example, a recent piece in The New York Sun argued that even international groups like the United Nations should use stronger language when talking about this. They believe calling it what it is—adult men marrying children—is the only way to make people take the problem seriously.

Advocates say that child marriage hurts young people. It can force them to drop out of school, hurt their health, and trap them in difficult situations. While many states have tightened their rules, activists say they will keep pushing until marriage is only for adults in every corner of the country.

Source: NPR