“People can change their attitudes. We have to help them do it.”

Speaking at an inquiry of the UK International Development Committee, Gro Harlem Brundtland discusses what parliamentarians and policy-makers can do to ensure development programming tackles gender-based violence.

In a development welcomed by child marriage activists, the United States Congress has passed a bill stating that child marriage breaches fundamental human rights – and requiring the US to integrate the prevention of this harmful practice across its development programmes.

“We ought to do everything in our power to ensure girls can become all they can be.” Desmond Tutu

In November, Desmond Tutu and Graça Machel took part in a Girls Not Brides conference discussing how to end child marriage in Sub-Saharan Africa. The event in South Africa brought together activists, campaigners and experts from across the continent.

For the International Day of the Girl 2012, Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson travelled to the United States to take part in a series of events marking the day, including a meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, a high-level panel discussion with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and a live web conversation with child marriage activists and experts.

“It’s not just throwing money at the problem. The idea is to ensure that the standards are respectful of the customs and traditions of the community.”

In an interview with The Washington Post, following his meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Washington DC, Desmond Tutu discusses The Elders' work to tackle early marriage and welcomes new aid commitments from the US and others to fund programmes that work with communities to end this harmful practice.

Why is child marriage the focus of the International Day of the Girl? How can we end this harmful practice that affects millions of girls every year? How can advocates and activists – especially young people all around the world – take a stand against child marriage?

On 11 October Mary Robinson, Christy Turlington Burns, experts and activists answered your questions and discussed child marriage in a live online conversation.

“The empowerment of girls holds the key to development and security for families, communities and societies worldwide.”

In an opinion piece published in newspapers around the world for the International Day of the Girl, Desmond Tutu and Ela Bhatt call on the international community to commit to ending child marriage in one generation – letting girls fulfil their potential for generations to come.

“Choices define us and allow us to realise our potential. Child marriage robs girls of this chance.” Desmond Tutu and Graça Machel

Thursday 11 October is the International Day of the Girl. Read more about why child marriage is the focus of the day – and how you can contribute to improving the lives of millions of girls worldwide.

“An estimated one in three girls in the developing world is married before the age of 18.”

As US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton concluded her 11-day visit to Africa, she met Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel at their home in South Africa. After discussing The Elders' work to tackle child marriage, Secretary Clinton affirmed her commitment to ending this harmful traditional practice.

"With or without legislation, we urge the Obama administration to make eliminating child marriage a foreign policy goal."

Writing in the Washington Post, Graça Machel and Desmond Tutu say we are not doing enough to fulfil our responsibility to protect young people from early marriage, and call on the United States government to make tackling child marriage a central focus of its international development agenda.