Child marriage remains a global issue

Currently, early marriage is considered a serious global issue. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

One in five girls gets married before the age of 18. Every year, more than 12 million girls around the world are married before reaching adulthood.

The highest rates of early marriage have been recorded in African and South Asian countries. For example, in Niger, 75 percent of girls under 18 are married, with 28 percent marrying before the age of 15.

In the Central African Republic and Chad, this rate is 68 and 67 percent, respectively. In Bangladesh, 59 percent of girls marry before the age of 18, and 29 percent marry before the age of 15.

These numbers have increased further since the pandemic. In Nigeria, 43 percent of girls are married before the age of 18, and 17 percent marry before the age of 15.

In Cameroon, 31 percent of girls marry before the age of 18, and 10.7 percent marry before the age of 15. In some areas, particularly in rural and tourist regions, these figures may be even higher.

In Sub-Saharan Africa and Central and South Asia, early marriage cases account for approximately 30-31 percent. This issue negatively impacts social, economic, and health sectors, making it essential to implement effective measures against it.