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Over the past decade, more than 33,000 children in Bulgaria have entered early marriages or become parents, according to data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and the State Agency for Child Protection (SACP). In response, the two institutions are launching a nationwide campaign aimed at curbing early marriages and child births - a problem described by officials as both widespread and deeply concerning. The initiative is part of the National Program for the Prevention of Violence and Abuse of Children, adopted by the Council of Ministers. The four-year strategy, developed jointly with various state institutions, outlines measures to prevent and respond to child abuse in all its forms. “Our task is not only to coordinate but also to ensure its implementation,” said Dr. Teodora Ivanova, Chair of the SACP, speaking on Nova TV. Ivanova emphasized that the campaign is not directed solely at the Roma community, as is often assumed, but at society as a whole. “The statistics show this phenomenon is no longer confined to one group. It affects families across different regions, and that’s why our goal is to reach people in the most vulnerable areas and explain the long-term consequences,” she said. The head of the agency used a stark metaphor to describe the impact of early motherhood: “When a child gives birth to a child, its wings are clipped. There are risks to health, education, and future opportunities. Most of these children never return to school and struggle later to find their place in the labor market.” The latest figures, confirmed by both the SACP and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, reveal that more than 33,000 minors have been involved in early marriages or births in Bulgaria in the past ten years. “These are over thirty-three thousand individual stories. Children who lose not only their childhood but also the chance for a full, independent life,” Ivanova remarked. When asked why such a campaign is being launched now, she noted that the agency has long addressed the issue but that stronger political will and improved institutional coordination are finally allowing for a unified national approach. “In the past, there were cases dismissed under the argument that this was a ‘Roma tradition.’ Such reasoning is no longer acceptable,” she said firmly. Dr. Ivanova also drew attention to the link between early marriages and domestic violence, noting that many such cases originate in abusive family environments. “There is always violence somewhere in the background. It’s often the starting point that leads to early unions and child births,” she explained. Reports of such incidents typically reach the agency through the national hotline 116 111 or via its new online chat system. “Once a signal is received, we immediately inform the Ministry of Interior, the prosecutor’s office, and local child protection departments. The number of complaints has risen over the past two years,” Ivanova noted. As part of the campaign, the agency plans to hold six regional meetings in areas where early births are most prevalent, including Stara Zagora, Sliven, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, and Kyustendil. “We want to bring together mediators, police, prosecutors, doctors, and social workers. Our goal is to have an honest conversation with communities, to talk with people, not about them,” Ivanova stressed. The program will run until the end of 2026, after which the agency will present a report evaluating progress on the prevention of early marriages and births. “We hope that by then, the change will not only be visible but lasting,” Dr. Ivanova concluded.
