Every three seconds, a girl under 18 is married somewhere in the world. While global rates of child marriage have declined, millions of girls continue to face pressure to marry before they are ready, often shaped by a complex mix of social norms, economic realities, family expectations, and gender inequality. Laws matter, but as practitioners working on the issue know, legislation alone is rarely enough to change deeply rooted behaviours.

In this episode, Qali explores what it takes to address child marriage through a social and behaviour change lens. From Nepal's Rupantaran programme, which helps girls build confidence, critical thinking skills, and aspirations beyond marriage, to Zambia's Coaching Boys into Men initiative, which challenges harmful ideas about masculinity, this conversation examines how change happens when entire systems begin to shift. Along the way, you'll hear stories of girls, boys, parents, religious leaders, and communities reimagining what is possible for the next generation.

You'll hear from:

• Humberto Jaime, Chief of Social and Behaviour Change, UNICEF Nepal
• Pragya Shah Karki, Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Nepal
• Edwin Mumba, Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Zambia

Resources:

• Rupantaran Programme, Nepal
• Coaching Boys into Men, Zambia
• UNFPA–UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage
• The Child Marriage Data Portal 
• Behavioral Surveys and Monitoring Tools for Child Protection and Harmful Practices | UNICEF SBC GUIDANCE 
• Online Course: Summary of Exploring the Drivers of Behaviour: The Case of Child Marriage (English version)
• Online Course: Résumé de Explorer les Facteurs Comportementaux : Le Cas du Mariage d'Enfants (French version)

The views and opinions expressed by the contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of UNICEF or any entities they represent. The content here is for information purposes only.

The ABCs of SBC is hosted by Qali Id and produced and developed by UNICEF in partnership with Common Thread.

Check out UNICEF’s latest publication on Social and Behaviour Change, Hidden in Plain Sight, a celebration of the everyday heroes on the frontlines of public health outbreaks, or the first publication, Why don’t you just behave! For more information about UNICEF SBC, check out the programme guidance.

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