A Princess With Purpose: The Woman Leading the Fight to End Child Marriage
Every three seconds, somewhere in the world, a young girl is forced into marriage. UNICEF reports that 12 million girls could become child brides this year alone. Behind every number is a childhood cut short—a girl pulled out of school, silenced, and pushed into adulthood too soon. Amid this painful global reality, one woman from the Dutch royal family has made it her life’s mission to fight for these girls: Princess Mabel van Oranje.The Spark: A Wedding That Changed EverythingIn 2018, Princess Mabel attended a wedding where the couple asked for donations instead of gifts. It struck her deeply. She realized that if one wedding could inspire generosity, then thousands of weddings could spark a movement. This simple yet powerful idea became the foundation of VOW for Girls, a nonprofit she created to turn celebrations of love into opportunities for millions of girls worldwide. Mabel has spent her life fighting for human rights, from co-founding War Child Netherlands to helping launch Girls Not Brides, the world’s largest partnership dedicated to ending child marriage. But VOW became her most emotional and personal commitment.VOW for Girls: How Love Funds FreedomThe core idea behind VOW for Girls is beautifully simple , the organization invites wedding couples to create a charitable registry where guests donate to the cause instead of giving traditional gifts, allowing couples to use the joy of their big day to create real change. And the impact has been remarkable. More than 8,000 couples have already contributed, helping VOW directly support over 260,000 girls. Every rupee and every dollar donated goes straight to grassroots organizations working on the frontlines. Through these efforts, girls are able to continue their education, access healthcare, receive vocational training, build confidence and leadership skills, escape forced marriages, and ultimately break long-standing cycles of poverty. VOW collaborates with 177 community-led groups across Asia, Africa, and Latin America—regions where child marriage is most widespread. What makes the initiative even more powerful is that many of these groups are led by women and girls who once faced the same threat of early marriage themselves, making their work deeply human, emotionally grounded, and truly transformative.Why Child Marriage Still HappensChild marriage continues for several painful and interconnected reasons, including poverty, where families view early marriage as a form of economic security; lack of education, which leaves girls who are out of school far more vulnerable; deeply rooted cultural norms that sustain harmful traditions; and persistent gender inequality that treats girls as burdens rather than individuals with rights and potential. Princess Mabel understands that these issues cannot be solved from a distance, which is why VOW for Girls works closely with local leaders—people who understand the culture, know the families personally, and approach the community with trust, compassion, and long-term commitment.A Princess with a PurposePrincess Mabel’s story is not only about royal titles or global recognition. It is about a woman who turned her personal heartbreak and life experiences into a mission. She lost her husband, Prince Friso, in 2013, and instead of stepping back from public life, she poured her strength into helping others. With thousands of couples joining the movement and communities around the world taking the lead, this dream feels possible. Princess Mabel often says that once you know the reality of child marriage, you cannot look away. And once you see what empowered girls can achieve, you cannot help but fight for them. Princess Mabel’s journey reminds us that change begins with a simple idea and a compassionate heart. Her work is not just about stopping child marriage. It is about giving every girl the right to learn, dream, choose, and live freely.
