Empower communities to end child marriage - Mexico

Help Indigenous Girls in Guerrero Choose Their Own Future

Every girl deserves the right to decide her own future: to stay in school, to grow up free from violence, and to choose if, when, and whom she wants to marry.

Yet in Indigenous communities in the Mountain Region of Guerrero, Mexico, child, early and forced marriages and unions continue to threaten the rights and opportunities of girls. Despite being illegal, these practices can persist when they are accepted or tolerated by families, community members, and local authorities.

Our goal is ambitious but achievable: to help end child, early and forced marriages and unions in 15 communities in the municipalities of Metlatónoc, Xalpatláhuac, and Alcozauca.

Changing a Practice Means Engaging the Whole Community

Ending child marriage requires much more than informing girls about their rights. Sustainable change happens when the entire community becomes part of the solution.

That is why our program works with Indigenous girls ages 10–15 who are particularly at risk, as well as with children and adolescents, parents, women who have survived violence, community leaders and authorities, local civil society organizations, public officials, men, and other community members.

Through culturally relevant education, community dialogue, capacity building, and prevention activities, we are creating spaces where people can question harmful practices, recognize girls' rights, and build new community agreements that protect them.

A key objective is to support communities in adopting and honoring Community Agreements that prohibit the exchange or sale of girls and women for marriage.

Change Is Already Underway

Between April and July 2026, the project has created community dialogue spaces, educational activities for children and adolescents, training for local organizations and public officials, and sessions to identify community prevention needs.

So far:

129 girls, boys, and adolescents have participated in educational sessions.

58 community members have taken part in community conferences.

34 representatives of local organizations and public institutions have strengthened their capacity to protect the rights of girls and women.

Because meaningful change must respect culture and language, activities are conducted in Indigenous languages, making communication more accessible and encouraging genuine understanding, participation, and dialogue.

Your Donation Can Help Turn Dialogue Into Lasting Change

Your contribution helps us continue reaching girls and their families, training community leaders, strengthening local organizations, creating culturally appropriate educational activities, and supporting communities as they move toward agreements that protect girls from early and forced marriage.

When you invest in a girl, you are not only helping protect her childhood. You are expanding her possibilities for education, autonomy, safety, and a future of her own choosing.

Help us reach more communities and more girls in the Mountain Region of Guerrero.

Donate today and become part of a community-led movement so that girls are never treated as commodities for marriage, but recognized as people with rights, voices, dreams, and the power to choose their own future.