Early marriage, defined as marriage before the age of 18, is unfortunately prevalent in many African countries due to various cultural, social, and economic factors.
It’s important to note that early marriage not only deprives girls of their childhood and education but also exposes them to a higher risk of health complications, domestic violence, and economic dependence.
Below are the top 10 African countries with high rate of child marriage.
- Niger
Niger has one of the highest rates of early marriage in the world.
According to UNICEF, about 76% of girls are married before the age of 18, 28% are married before 15 years.
Amidst other factors like food shortages, challenging natural environment, poverty is the main reason that drives families to marry off their daughter at young ages as a means of reducing economic constraints.
- Chad
Chad holds one of the highest prevelances of child marriages as approximately 68% of girls in Chad are married before the age of 18, with 18% married before the age of 15.
Child marriage in Chad is also as a result of poverty in rural areas.
- Central African Republic:
Economic challenges is also a factor that forces families to give out their daughters for marriage. The country has a low GDP which lead many families to marry off their daughter in exchange for a pride price.
About 68% of girls in the Central African Republic are married before the age of 18, with 29% married before the age of 15.
In addition, 28% of boys in the country marry before 18.
- Mali
Around 52% of girls in Mali are married before the age of 18, and 16% are married before the age of 15.
Additionally, 2% of boys in Mali get married before their 18th birthday.
- Burkina Faso
Approximately 52% of girls in Burkina Faso are married before the age of 18, with 10% married before the age of 15.
Burkina Faso currently harbors 3million child brides, with 500,000 married off before the age of 15.
- South Sudan
In South Sudan, food instability and economic reasons drives child marriage.
Young girls are often married off by their family due to extreme poverty to secure dowries which could be in cash or kinds like gifts or cattle.
Around 52% of girls in South Sudan are married before the age of 18, with 9% married before the age of 15.
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- Somalia
About 45% of girls in Somalia are married before the age of 18, with 8% married before their 15th birthday.
Child marriage has been a contributing factor to adolescent pregnancies in Somalia.
- Malawi
In Malawi, approximately 42% of girls are married before the age of 18, and 9% are married before the age of 15.
- Mozambique
Mozambique grapples with one of the world’s highest child marriage rates affecting nearly half of its girls.
Around 48% of girls in Mozambique are married before the age of 18, with 14% married before the age of 15 due to gender inequality and poverty with half is the country’s population living in abject poverty.
- Ethiopia
Child marriage in Ethiopia is caused by a combination of social, cultural and economic factors.
Families living in poverty see marrying off their daughter as a way to reduce their finanacial burden or to receive dowry payments which can help pay debts or support the family.
In Ethiopia, approximately 40% of the girls are married before the age of 18 and 14% are married before the age of 15.
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
