TARIME, Feb. 20 -- FOR generations, thousands of girls across Tanzania have been forced to trade their childhood for marriage. Behind every statistic lies a story of interrupted education, stolen potential, and preventable suffering.

Among the strongest drivers of child marriage in Tanzania is female genital mutilation (FGM), a practice that signals a girls “readiness” for marriage regardless of her age.

Coordinator of the Tanzania End Child Marriage Network (TECMN) Advocate Irene Nambuo, say that unless FGM ends, child marriage will persist.

“We advocate for changes in laws and policies to eradicate child marriage. Our goal as a network is to ensure that no girl is married before the age of 18. But as we push for leg...