At the conclusion of a four-day visit, members of The Elders feel that momentum is building to tackle child marriage in India. During their visit the Elders met with political and business leaders, UN and NGO representatives as well as communities affected by child marriage and grass roots activists working to end the practice. 

At a meeting in New Delhi co-hosted by The Elders and the Population Foundation of India, a group of Indian leaders from government, law, business, the arts and civil society have agreed to become 'champions for an end to child marriage'.

“We believe that by listening to young people addressing child marriage and supporting their communities, we can make a huge difference in one generation” – Mary Robinson.

Desmond Tutu, Ela Bhatt, Gro Brundtland and Mary Robinson visit a youth-led initiative aimed at preventing child marriage in the Indian state of Bihar, where 69 per cent of women marry before the age of 18.

Press Conference in New Delhi, 9 February 2012

Desmond Tutu, Ela Bhatt, Gro Brundtland and Mary Robinson will visit India, home to an estimated one third of the world's child brides. They plan to meet political and business leaders, UN and NGO representatives and communities affected by child marriage, and will attend a regional meeting hosted by Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage.

Today’s leaders must make binding decisions for the long term

Looking ahead to Rio +20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development taking place in Brazil this June, the Elders say that 'business as usual' is no longer acceptable and urge world leaders to deliver on their commitment to a more equitable, sustainable world.