For transparency and in order to ensure the smooth implementation of the project, Voix de Femmes has made the timeline for this call publicly available. It can be consulted via the following link: Call for Papers Timeline 2026.
1. Objectives and General Themes
In March 2026, Voix de Femmes conducted an analysis of the existing academic work, in both French and English, on forced marriage. This analysis made it possible to identify the most commonly used approaches within academic research. According to this analysis, forced marriage continues to be predominantly studied through a legal lens and is frequently associated with migrant communities, particularly non-European populations.
However, the most recent studies, published between 2025 and 2026, reflect a significant shift in analytical perspectives. They demonstrate a growing effort to conceptualize forced marriage as a distinct form of gender-based violence, with a view to better informing strategies of prevention, protection, and support for affected individuals.
It is within this context that the present call for papers (CFP) takes place. The CFP seeks to contribute to a shift of perspective and to open up scholarly debate. Our aim is to consider forced marriage not as a phenomenon attributed to “otherness,” but rather as an expression of power relations within a globalised patriarchal society.
To assist researchers in identifying existing work and reviewing relevant publications on the topic, Voix de Femmes has made this review available on its website (French only).
This Call for Papers follows two main objectives.
- The first is to document the persistence of forced marriage in contemporary society, beyond religious or cultural contexts, as well as the associated forms of gender-based violence, in order to deconstruct and challenge stereotypes that hinder prevention and protection efforts.
- The second is to increase, in quantitative terms, the volume of academic research on forced marriage. Regarding this second objective, the call for papers is directed toward a specific audience that calls for further research and would benefit from greater knowledge of this issue: policymakers. These contributions aim to support policymakers in strengthening the recognition of forced marriage as a form of gender-based violence, while improving both the protection of victims and the legal and institutional responses available to them.
NB: For all proposed themes, it is possible to focus on a specific regional case study, not limited to France. By bringing together contributions focused on different countries and geographic contexts, the selected articles will provide comparative insights and highlight diverse experiences and practices for policymakers.
The general objectives of this Call for Papers are as follows:
- Raise awareness: to foster greater understanding among the public and political decision-makers of the severity and scope of forced marriage, thereby bringing the issue onto the political agenda.
- Renew data : to collect empirical data that can be used to support arguments and advocate effectively for stronger political and legal recognition of the issue.
- Increase visibility of forced marriage: to enhance the visibility of forced marriage, as well as of the association and its partners working on the issue, and to inform the wider public in order to strengthen support for advocacy campaigns.
- Develop new intervention strategies: to support the development of effective strategies to combat forced marriage by offering renewed analytical perspectives on this form of violence.
In light of the existing body of research, we seek to explore a dimension that remains relatively under-addressed in academic work on forced marriage—unlike the legal and migration-related approaches that are most commonly associated with this practice: namely, the violence experienced by women and the stereotypes associated with forced marriage. In this regard, applicants are invited to choose from the following themes and sub-themes:
Violence experienced by women:
- The psychological impact of forced marriage on victims: This theme would allow for an exploration of mental health issues, which remain under-researched in academic literature, yet are increasingly recognised by civil society as a significant public health concern.
- Reproductive and sexual health in contexts of forced marriage: Sexual violence experienced within a forced marriage constitutes a serious threat to the reproductive health of the girls and women affected. These violations of sexual and reproductive rights must therefore be documented among victims of forced marriage.
Stereotypes associated with forced marriage:
- The social and demographic context of forced marriage victims: In order to challenge the lack of understanding and the stereotypes surrounding forced marriage, often perceived as specific to a particular religion, culture, or nationality, academic research must provide a thorough analysis of this issue in order to establish a clear, evidence-based framework of the social and demographic context of victims of forced marriage.
2. Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria reflect the expectations of the Scientific Committee regarding submitted contributions and will constitute the basis for the evaluation of proposals.
In order to maximise the impact of this initiative and reach the widest possible audience, contributions may be submitted in either French or English. The language chosen will not affect the evaluation of submissions according to the criteria outlined below.
As academic articles, submissions must meet the following evaluation criteria:
- Originality, relevance, and significance of the topic
- Consistency with the editorial guidelines of Voix de Femmes
- Clarity of the objectives and research question
- Clear identification and explanation of disciplinary frameworks
- Internal coherence of the methodology
- Quality of data production and collection
- Quality of data analysis
- Presentation and discussion of results
- Theoretical contribution of the research
- Clarity, structure, and logical organisation of the writing
Articles must be presented in an academic format. Submissions should range between 4,500 and 5,500 words (approximately 15 to 20 pages), formatted in Times New Roman, size 12, with 1.5 line spacing (excluding references and bibliography).
Furthermore, any abusive use of Artificial Intelligence and/or any form of plagiarism will result in the immediate disqualification of the candidate’s submission.
Editorial Guidelines of Voix de Femmes
Voix de Femmes is part of the French feminist association landscape and has developed specific expertise on forced marriage. We request that contributors use the following terminology when preparing their submissions.
- Gender equality : this formulation is meant to be inclusive and does not confine analysis to a binary understanding of gender. It also recognises gender minorities, who are among those most exposed to inequality and violence.
- Child marriage/infant marriage (rather than “early marriage”): the term “early” implies an implicit norm (early in relation to what?). The expression “child marriage” highlights the fundamental legal, social, and physiological criterion of minority, recalling that free and informed consent can only be meaningfully established upon reaching majority.
- Forced marriage (singular): this expression is used in the singular to refer to a global and systemic phenomenon. The use of the plural would tend to fragment the understanding of the issue into isolated cases, thereby obscuring its structural nature and transnational dimension.
3. Timeline and Deadlines
The timeline and deadlines outlined below must be respected by applicants in order to ensure the publication of the selected contributions by mid-October 2026. The Committee likewise commits to adhering to these deadlines to enable applicants to organise their research work accordingly.
For reference, the full timeline for this Call for Papers is available online via the following link: Call for Papers Timeline 2026.
- Application and Notification Process for Participation
The Call for Papers will be disseminated through various channels starting on the 19th of May 2026, and applications may be submitted until the 30th of June 2026. During this period, applicants are invited to review the present document and contact the association Voix de Femmes in order to confirm their participation and submit their abstract.
Applicants should send the following documents in Word format to: contact@voixdefemmes.eu
- A short biography of 250 to 300 words, including first name, last name, country of residence and/or nationality, telephone number, email address, current position, and, where applicable, affiliated research laboratory or university;
- A brief list of research projects and publications related to the fight against forced marriage and the forms of gender-based violence intrinsically linked to it;
- The language chosen for the article (French or English);
- The selected theme from among those proposed in the present document;
- Seven keywords;
- A 650-word abstract clearly outlining the main argument(s) to be developed in the article, the theoretical framework underpinning the proposed reflection, and the methodology used for the analysis.
Please note that the submission of an abstract meeting the above requirements will constitute the formal application.
The Call for Papers will run for a total duration of five months, from mid-May to mid-October 2026, and will be structured around several intermediate deadlines in order to ensure appropriate support for applicants throughout their research process and to address any questions they may have.
- Notifications of Acceptance
Following the submission of abstracts, the previously established Scientific and Organising Committee will be responsible for reviewing applicants’ proposals and ensuring that they comply with both the evaluation criteria and the editorial guidelines of Voix de Femmes.
Notifications of acceptance will be sent to applicants no later than mid-July 2026. Where appropriate, recommendations for improvement may also be provided.
- Submission of Final Articles
Applicants will have approximately two and a half months to complete their article and develop conclusions relating to the selected theme. The final submission deadline is set for 15 September 2026.
Between these two stages, applicants may contact the association Voix de Femmes at any time should they have questions and/or require support in relation to their research process.
- Committee Evaluation Phase
The Committee will have a period of a month (from mid-September to mid-October) to review the submitted papers from all applicants, assess their contributions in accordance with the evaluation criteria outlined above, and select the five best research papers.
- The Selected Papers
The Committee will be responsible for selecting five articles from among the submissions, in accordance with the predefined evaluation criteria.
The five selected authors will be notified in mid-October and, subject to their agreement, their articles will be published between mid-October and late October (depending on the timelines of the universities and academic publishers involved).
In addition, each of the five authors whose articles are published in the review will receive a prize of €200 in recognition of the quality of their work and the time invested.
The Committee also reserves the right to publish any additional articles that it considers to demonstrate outstanding quality. However, these authors will not receive the €200 award.
4. Scientific and Organising Committee
For the sake of transparency, the Scientific and Organising Committee will be presented to applicants by email once it has been formally established.
The Committee will be responsible for evaluating the submissions received across the various deadlines outlined above. It will act as a jury, initially assessing the validity of submitted abstracts, and subsequently providing support to applicants where necessary, as well as responding to their questions, particularly during the interim submission phase.
Finally, during the final evaluation stage, the Committee will assess the completed papers and select the five best articles.
The Committee ensures the proper functioning of this Call for Papers and oversees its main objective: to highlight each applicant’s submission and assess its academic and societal relevance within research on forced marriage.
For any organisational inquiries, applicants are kindly requested to contact Voix de Femmes at: contact@voixdefemmes.eu.
