A committee of the UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution condemning the practice of child marriage, for the first time outlining specific steps to address the issue that affects 15 million girls every year across the world.
The resolution comes after the United Nations established last year for the first time that child and forced marriages constitute a violation of human rights and said that ending the practice should be one of the stated goals of the post-2015 development agenda, which will be set next year.
The resolution passed by a committee tasked with human rights issues calls on countries to enact and uphold laws to prevent child marriages and promote girls' education and right to self-determination when it comes to their sexuality.
"The General Assembly urges all states ... to ensure that marriage is entered into only with the informed, free and full consent of the intending spouses," according to the resolution.
It will now go to the full General Assembly for consideration, but its passage in committee is a likely guarantee that it will be approved.
Heather Hamilton, global co-ordinator with the non-profit organisation Girls Not Brides, welcomed the resolution, noting that it shows the international community's concern over the practice that often prevents young girls from getting education.
"The passage of a UN resolution does not mean that we will end child marriage tomorrow, but resolutions are important in setting global norms," Hamilton said in a statement.
"This is a firm statement from the international community that we have to act on child marriage if we're to ensure equality and reduce global poverty."
Women who marry before they turn 18 are more at risk of domestic violence, and are more likely to die or suffer complications in pregnancy or childbirth, according to the UN Children's Fund.
