Marriage No Child’s Play (MNCP) Program of the More than Brides Alliance (MTBA)

The Marriage No Child’s Play (MNCP) program of the More than Brides Alliance (MTBA) was a five-year program (2016-2020) aimed at addressing child marriage in India, Malawi, Mali, Niger, and Pakistan, funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Save the Children is the lead agency of the Alliance composed of four partners (Save the Children, Oxfam Novib, Simavi, and The Population Council). The five countries were selected by the Alliance for program implementation because of the high rates of child marriage (Niger: 75% and Mali: 52%), the high number of child brides (India and Pakistan), and the high rates of teenage pregnancy, leading to child marriage (Malawi). MTBA adopted a multi-pronged, holistic, girl-centered, and community-driven approach. Key SRHR components included increasing access to SRHR information and services among adolescents, especially girls, while building supportive environments. Adolescents were equipped with information and skills, whilst shifting social norms related to marriage formation and SRHR. In select context, the program supported education and economic empowerment opportunities as alternative to child marriage. The reach and coverage of MTBA’s program varied by country. Included are a project description and research study briefs about the entire program, and resources specific to the program in India.