Empower communities to end child marriage - Mexico

The municipality of Metlatónoc, located in the La Montaña region of Guerrero, faces one of the highest rates of child marriage and poverty in Mexico, a situation that has worsened following the devastation of Hurricane Otis. Local reports indicate that an alarming average of 300 girls are sold into marriage each month.

Child marriages are often rooted in indigenous customs and economic hardship. Many families lack the resources to provide their daughters with a dignified life or opportunities for education and health. As a result, parents may feel compelled to sell their daughters to secure an income, shifting the burden of their care to their future husbands. This situation is further exacerbated by entrenched gender norms that dictate women's roles primarily as caretakers, limiting their opportunities for personal and professional fulfillment.

Our program "Help Them Not to Reach the Altar" has been working tirelessly for seven years across 12 communities in Metlatónoc. We have successfully changed local norms and gender roles among authorities, families, teachers, and youth, empowering them to recognize and uphold the human rights of girls and women. Thanks to these efforts, 7,000 girls have been spared from being sold into marriage.

Recognizing the link between child marriage and economic instability, we have also initiated a financial education and entrepreneurship project in collaboration with our main program. This initiative has led to the establishment of 15 chicken-raising businesses run by women, enhancing their financial literacy, savings habits, and self-confidence—ultimately improving their quality of life.

Metlatónoc comprises 66 communities, and we are committed to extending our work to the remaining 54 through our dual programs: "Help Them Not to Reach the Altar" and "Economic Empowerment of Women." Our comprehensive approach aims not only to eradicate child marriage but also to prevent the social and economic violence faced by girls and women in this region.

"Your donation will help ensure that thousands of girls are not sold into marriage"

Links:

• https://yoquieroyopuedo.org.mx/en

Recounting the achievements and challenges of the “Help them to not reach the altar” program

To date, 12 localities have signed an Agreement Act to prohibit the sale of girls, which has prevented 7,000 girls from being sold into marriage, allowing them to choose their life projects and continue in school. Through community and school empowerment strategies, the capacity of local authorities and the community to reject violence and recognize the rights of women and girls has been improved. Work has been done with teachers to prevent child marriage and eliminate harmful practices.

However, the challenge remains to continue the program “Help them not to reach the altar” in La Montaña, Guerrero, where deep-rooted customs allow for the sale of girls. Although these practices are illegal, many communities are unaware of this, perpetuating violence against them. Therefore, it is essential to work directly with the inhabitants to change these social norms and uphold the human and sexual rights of girls and women.

Next steps…

We still have 54 locations left in Metlatonoc in which we can implement the program, to achieve the signing of the Minutes of Agreement to prohibit the sale of girls. Also, the planning and implementation of the “bottom-up” strategies and the (bilingual) field team that resides in the place, allowed us to know and directly observe the needs of the population. The above has allowed us to design new strategies with greater scope in different areas, such as the promotion of the economic empowerment of women and the training of community promoters (youth and women) in sexual and reproductive health.

We are making visits to the localities to generate new alliances with community authorities, so your valuable support will continue to strengthen our program and make a difference in the lives of thousands of girls and women in Guerrero.

Links:

• Website