Education key to ending child marriage
Child marriage could be eradicated if the federal government invested foreign aid money in community education, advocates say.
Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition executive director Melba Marginson said aid money from Australia could empower communities in developing nations.
A report released on Monday said tacking the problem overseas would help wipe it out in Australia.
"It's about practices that need to be changed and attitudes that need to be shifted," Ms Marginson told AAP.
"We are treading a very sensitive path which is cultural tradition, but there are already liberal-minded people overseas who are willing to take up the challenge.
In the developing world 14 million girls under the age of 18 are forced into marriage every year.
Children's Rights group Plan International Australia says addressing the problem in developing countries is the best way to end it in Australia.
The organisation released the report that showed there were about 250 known cases of child marriage in Australia.
Plan chief executive Ian Wishart said the Australian figure was probably "the tip of the problem".
"How big the iceberg is underneath, we don't really know at this stage," Mr Wishart said.
He urged the government to use its foreign aid funding for programs aimed at preventing child marriage, as well as promoting access to quality education.
Ms Marginson said child marriage was easier to end in Australia than overseas.
"I believe in the power of advocacy by the potential victims themselves, which are our young women and boys," she said.
