Child marriage in Serbia affects Roma girls the most, and legal protections still have gaps. A November 2025 UNICEF report states that a complete legal ban has not been achieved. Serbia’s Family Law sets the minimum marriage age at 18. An exception allows a court to approve marriage for a minor aged 16 or 17 after examining the minor’s free will and physical and mental maturity. Most child marriages occur as informal unions. According to UNICEF’s November 2025 report, most child marriages occur in a “gray zone” as informal unions. In March 2026, authorities released a draft for public consultation that would remove the court exception and prohibit marriage before age 18. A July 2026 coalition newsletter still described the measure as a draft, rather than an enacted law.

Why Roma Girls Face Higher Risk

Poverty is a major driver of child marriage and can affect children’s future development. Nikola Maletić of the UNICEF Serbia Youth Board stressed the need for youth development opportunities, adaptive education and active participation in policymaking to create a more equal future for Serbia. The November 2025 UNICEF report states that 22.6% of women from the poorest households in the general population married before age 18, compared with 0.7% in the richest households. A July 2025 UNICEF country program document cites Serbia’s Statistical Office data showing that 19.5% of children were at risk of poverty in 2023. The same document, citing the MICS6 survey, states that 83% of households in Roma settlements reported three or more material deprivations, compared with 25% of households nationally.

Social Norms

UNICEF Serbia research found that the decision to arrange child marriage in Roma communities is influenced by poverty within a closed circle of social norms and a lack of education within communities. The same research found that young Roma who face obstacles in wider society often choose to follow their community’s models. Community leaders and UNICEF reject the idea that the practice is a tradition. In late 2025, UNICEF Serbia stated that child marriage is not a cultural issue but a violation of children’s rights. The agency described the Declaration on the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, adopted by the Roma National Council, as a good example of leadership from within the community.

Marginalization Limits Roma Girls’ Options

On April 15, 2026, experts on the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination raised concerns about structural discrimination against Roma in Serbia. Committee expert Bakari Sidiki Diaby, speaking on behalf of country rapporteur Ibrahima Guisse, said Roma communities reportedly faced structural discrimination and socioeconomic disadvantages, including low school attendance, high unemployment, poor housing and limited access to health services. Nearly one in five Roma households lacked regular access to safe drinking water. Experts also noted that child marriage disproportionately affects Roma communities.

The Effects of Child Marriage

Child marriage can have lasting consequences for girls and young women, affecting their mental well-being, education and future opportunities. Girls who marry early may experience mental health challenges, have less control over decisions about their futures and face barriers to education and economic opportunities. These disadvantages can increase their vulnerability to harm and perpetuate cycles of poverty.

Programs to Protect Roma Girls

Here are some programs that are working to protect Roma girls.

Roma Women Center Bibija

The Roma Women Center Bibija has worked for more than two decades to protect the rights of Roma girls. With support from the U.N. Trust Fund to End Violence against Women and Girls, the organization leads an initiative in 10 municipalities. On Oct. 10, 2025, a story published by the U.N. Trust Fund reported that the initiative had organized 320 workshops and 320 community discussions, reaching more than 590 adolescent girls and 700 Roma community members. In the initiative’s target areas, the share of Roma girls making informed education choices rose from 30% to 55% in one year. Three out of four girls demonstrated improved knowledge of their rights and the effects of child marriage, more than double the previous year’s figure. These results come from the target areas and do not show a national decline in child marriage.

National Coalition to End Child Marriage

UNICEF and the Coordination Body for Gender Equality launched the coalition in 2019, bringing together a wide range of actors around a shared goal. UNICEF Serbia, which hosted the coalition’s meeting on March 23, 2026, said the group has pushed for stronger legal protection for children. Initial proposals to amend the Criminal Code and the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence were submitted in 2021 and repeated in 2025. The agency also welcomed the Ministry for Family Care and Demography’s announcement that it will review the Family Law.

Progress Led From Within

These initiatives show how community-led programs and advocacy can support efforts to prevent child marriage. Reported improvements in girls’ knowledge and educational decision-making are encouraging, but they do not establish a nationwide decline in child marriage. Continued community engagement, access to education and stronger legal protections remain essential.

– Gabriella Jazzy Jason Junior

Gabriella is based in Jakarta, Indonesia and focuses on Global Health, Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Serbia