 The links between gender inequality and norms around girls’ sexuality are central to child marriage practices. The Child Marriage Research to Action Network (the CRANK) is holding its first research meeting of 2022 to discuss the links between girls’ sexuality and child marriage. The meeting will be held in English, with simultaneous translation in French and Spanish. Wednesday 30 March 2022 9:00 New York / 14:00 London Register Patriarchal norms aim to control and even exploit girls’ sexuality by limiting their autonomy and choices around sexuality, relationships, marriage and childbearing. These norms operate on multiple levels – societal, community, individual and interpersonal – restrict girls’ rights and opportunities, and drive child marriage. To improve girls’ lives and support girls at risk of child marriage we must engage with and focus more on sexuality. The evidence shows that considering sexuality and the sexuality-related drivers of child marriage is key to addressing the practice. Sexuality must be incorporated into programmes, advocacy and policy work to increase girls’ autonomy and gender equality, and prevent child marriage. This CRANK research meeting will be a space to: Discuss evidence from new publications on the links between girls’ sexuality and child marriage, and the implications for policy and practiceGain insight into the forthcoming Sexuality Working Groups’ conceptual framework on sexuality and child, early and forced marriage and unions The moderators and speakers are: Eugenia Lopez Uribe, Regional Director of the Americas and Caribbean, International Planned Parenthood Federation as moderator. Diana Pacheco-Montoya, University of Berkley – Gender norms, control over girls’ sexuality and child marriage: A Honduran case study Priya Nanda, Gates Foundation – Education, sexuality, and marriageability: Overlapping tropes in the lives of adolescent girls in Haryana, India Emmily Naphambo, University of Cape Town – A vexing relationship between chiefship and girls’ sexuality: Insights from rural Malawi We will also hear from Margaret E. Greene, Priya Das and other contributors of Shared roots, different branches: Expanding understanding of child marriage in diverse settings, and from Jacky Repila, Girls Not Brides, and other members of the Sexuality Working Group on the forthcoming Child, early and forced marriage and unions and girls’ sexuality conceptual framework. We hope you can join us to discuss this important topic! Best wishes, The CRANK The Child Marriage Research to Action Network, a joint initiative of Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage and the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage |