The Elders, chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, is an independent group of global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela that works for peace and human rights. In 2010, recognising and building on the long-standing efforts of a number of organisations to end the harmful practice of child marriage, The Elders initiated Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage. The Elders sought to address the limited international visibility and leadership on the issue of child marriage, as well as the need for greater coordination and collective action among those working at the grassroots, national and international levels to end the harmful practice.