The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was established in 1946 to assess the needs of women globally. CSW meets annually to create policy discussing solutions to emerging issues; in an effort to progress gender equality worldwide.

Child marriage, defined as a marriage involving a child under the age of 18 to an adult or another child, affects young girls worldwide. Child marriage is a form of gendered violence, leading to lifelong economic and educational disempowerment in child brides. Child marriage is defined as a  human rights violation, removing girls from school at early ages, while limiting their future employment opportunities. This issue stems from many root causes including, cultural norms, poverty, lack of education, and weak legal protections for women and girls. We must target these root causes to diminish the systemic gender gaps put in place by child marriage that undermine the United Nations efforts to promote gender equality.