Far less attention has been paid to child marriage in subsaharan africa, where prevalence rates remain high. In africa, high rates of child marriage combined with a rapidly growing. Although the largest total number of child brides resides in south asia, the majority of countries with the highest prevalence rates of child marriage 1 in the world are in subsaharan africa. Its causes are multiple and overlapping and its effects are lifelong for the victims and their communities. All too often, the imposition of a marriage partner upon a child means that a girl or boys childhood is cut short and their. The prevalence rate of child marriage is closely linked to the attainment of mdgs 1, 2,3,4,5 and 6 and therefore ending child marriage should be one of the core human development issues of the post2015 development agenda as well as the african unions agenda 2063. Although the definition of child marriage includes boys. Box 4384400100, nairobi, kenya abstract it is the opinion consensuses of a few scholars that the institution of marriage has continued to. Child marriage also occurs in parts of the middle east, including yemen and the rural maghreb.
Africa is home to 15 of the 20 countries with the highest rates of child marriage in the world. If current trends continue, almost half of the worlds child brides in 2050 will be african. The issue is more concentrated in countries of sub saharan africa and south asia. This amounts to 42,905 girls married before age 18 every year, of which 11,764 are married before age 15. The prevalence of child marriage in senegal is 31% before age 18 and 8. Despite progress over the last two decades, girls still have on average lower levels of educational attainment than boys in many african countries, especially at the secondary and tertiary levels. Child marriage is also a uniquely challenging impediment to development. Forced child marriage is a lifechanging reality for many of the worlds girls. In simple terms, child marriage is the marriage of a person aged before majority. The compendium also tracks recent marriage law reforms, identifying member states that are making strides in introducing new laws and repealing old laws to end child marriage in africa.
Many girls who are married off before they turn 18 or are forced into early marriages are made to leave school, depriving them of their right to education and future independence. Child marriage is driven by poverty and has many effects on girls health. Child marriage and polygamy play an important role in another deadly disease, cervical cancer. In terms of scholarship and international attention, the region is often overshadowed by the child marriage hotspots of subsaharan africa and southeast asia. The compendium ends with key policy recommendations for marriage law reform and actions by au member states and other stakeholders working to end child marriage. The national prevalence has decreased by 16 percentage points in 20 years and is today below the regional average 42%.
T he work builds on previous stud ies at the world bank on the economic impacts of child marriage jointly with icrw, the changing wealth of nations, and the cost of gender inequality in earnings. Child marriage is the formal or informal marriage of a child under the age of 18 most often the marriage of a young girl to an older boy or man. Child marriage is a marriage or similar union, formal or informal, between an adult and a child under a certain age, typically age eighteen. In terms of scholarship and international attention, the region is often overshadowed by the child marriage hotspots of. While subsaharan africa has the highest rates of child marriage, due to population size, the largest number. A minor in a child marriage can be a girl or a boy, but the large majority of child marriages are between a girl and a man, and are rooted in gender inequality. Moreover, what is early for one person may be late for another.
More than one in three of these women and girls over 40 million entered into marriage or union before age 15. Child marriages occur most frequently in south asia, where 48% of women aged 1524 have been married before the age of 18. Most will be in subsaharan africa and the asian subcontinent nepal, india, pakistan, bangladesh. Child marriage is still a massive problem in many developing countries. Child marriages in india the red elephant foundation december 20 e 4 introduction child marriage refers to the marriage of a child younger than 18 years old,1 in accordance to article 1 of the convention on the right of the child. Context and policy environment child marriage in africa global, regional and national policy environment chapter 3. Four in ten women aged 2024 in west and central africa were married by the age of 18. A pressing issue across west and central africa child marriage is harmful to large numbers of girls in the region, many of whom are younger than 15 years old. Sadly, the practice of early marriage gives no such cause for celebration. Ending child marriage in africa a brief by girls not brides. Girl child marriage, socioeconomic status, and undernutrition. High incidence rate of child marriage in nepal among south asian. Forcedchild marriage may take a variety of forms, but should be distinguished from arranged marriages. Child marriage is a human rights violation that prevents girls from obtaining an education, enjoying optimal health, bonding with others their own age, maturing, and ultimately choosing their own life partners.
Ending child marriage in a generation ford foundation. A minor in a child marriage can be a girl or a boy, but the large majority of child marriages are between a girl and a man, and are rooted in gender inequality although the age of majority legal adulthood and marriageable age are usually designated at. Africa, where the percentage is higher over 40 per cent, child brides are also younger this. Introduction child marriage refers to any marriage of a child younger than eighteen years old, in accordance to article 1 of the convention of the right of the child. Data and analytics section division of data, research and policy. Regionally, there have been a number of african mechanisms and institutions that have recognised and taken steps to address the harmful impact of child marriage. Today, over 60 million marriages include girls under the age of 18 years. However, the rate of child marriage among the poorest quintile. Despite laws against it, the practice remains widespread. The prevalence of child marriage across africa is slowly. Ending child marriage and meeting the needs of married.
The cumulative effects of reduced school attainment, maternal morbidities and mortality, and the longterm impact of early marriage and childbearing on children are well documented. Although many african nations do not have the capacity to adequately or effectively screen for cervical cancer or hpv, the incidence of cervical cancer in africa is estimated to be extremely high. Child marriage is widespread in west and central africa, where 42% of women are married as children, and in east and southern africa, where child marriage a. House of representatives human rights commissions human rights commission. Dowry the money the brides family pays to the groom is a big factor in child marriage. Early marriage and forced marriage is most common in subsaharan africa where 38% of girls become child brides. Child marriage occurs in practically every region of the world,4 but it is most common in south asia, latin america, the caribbean, the middle east and africa.
Rates are 17% in the middle east and north africa, and 11% in eastern europe and central asia. Impact of child marriage on literacy and education attainment in africa minh cong nguyen and quentin wodon1 child marriage has been referred to as a hidden crisis and is an issue that is now being considered directly at high levels in development policy. The incidence of child marriage is not only in nepal but also in the world. I was p reg n a t, hd olk f m yus b housework, deal with inlaws, and work on. Mapping findings and recommendations advocacy programming. Globally, one in every five girls is married, or in union, before reaching age 18. In subsaharan africa, a staggering 40 percent of girls marry before age 18, and african countries account for 15 of the 20 countries with the highest rates of child marriage.
Among girls growing up in south asia, 30% experience early marriage, compared with 25% in latin america and the caribbean. The global state of evidence on interventions to prevent. I was p reg n a t, hd olk f m yus b housework, deal with in laws, and work on. If the present trend continues, 100 million girls will marry over the next decade. Throughout the world, marriage is regarded as a moment of celebration and a milestone in adult life. Focus shall be put on child marriage in general exemplified in particular by two countries in. Child marriage in the middle east and north africa, united. In despite of all attention drawn to child marriage across the world, there is a lack of improvement. It is mostly in south asia, africa, and latin america. National and international indicators on maternal health, education, food.
The object of this research is to look into under what circumstances child marriage does exist and how girls living conditions can be improved. However, the rate of child marriage among the poorest quintile 60% is nearly. Girl child marriage, a formal union of a female before age 18, and undernutrition remain common in subsaharan africa. A challenge across africa in subsaharan africa, 40% of women are married as children. A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage and sexuality dr. Child marriage, defined as marriage of a child child marriage include early marriage and child brides. Health consequences of child marriage in africa volume. Early marriage is vague and does not necessarily refer to children. African girls summit on ending child marriage in africa.
Adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 who are currently married. In niger, for example, 77% of women in their early 20s were married as children. The international center for research on women icrw recently conducted research in kenya, senegal, uganda, and zambia to contribute to greater understanding of the drivers of child marriage in each of these contexts. Health consequences of child marriage in africa volume 12. Child marriage is a widespread practice in subsaharan africa which leads to violation of human rights. Perspective health consequences of child marriage in africa. People worry that the older a girl is, the more they will have to pay, so they marry girls early. New findings on child marriage in subsaharan africa. The the causes, consequences and solutions to causes, consequences and solutions tocauses, consequences and solutions to forced forced forced child marriage child marriage child marriage in the developing worldin the developing world testimony submitted to u. The percentage of young women married before age 18 is above 30 per cent in central, southern, and eastern. In may 2014, the african union au launched a campaign to end child marriage in africa, by enhancing continental awareness of its. The country facts refer to the following indicators.
Ending child marriage in africa human rights watch. Pdf health consequences of child marriage in africa. A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage. Ending child marriage in africa i faced a lot of problems in marriage. Each day, 25,000 girls are married and an anticipated 100 million girls. The causes, consequences and solutions to forced child marriage. Identifying forced marriage presumes a common notion of consent that may, in reality, differ according to cultural attitudes. Some as young as 8 or 9 are forced to trade their childhoods for a life that can be defined by isolation, violence and illness.