Niger has the highest child marriage rate in the world among girls. According to the most recent data, in this West African country, more than three fourths of girls aged under 18 were married, with nearly 30 percent of them being younger than 15 years old. The Central African Republic, Chad, and Mali followed behind with rates ranging from 61 to 54 percent. This issue is globally spread, particularly in African countries. In many of these countries, the legal age to get married is lower for females than for males. In Niger and Chad, for instance, the legal age is 15 years for females and 18 for males. In Guinea, instead, the legal age for marriage is 17 for females and 18 for males. Child marriage is often related to poverty, with poor families choosing to marry away their girls both in order to earn money as a wedding gift and as this means fewer mouths to feed.
Countries with the highest child marriage rate as of 2023
Characteristic
Under 18
Under 15
Niger (2012)
76%
28%
Chad (2019)
61%
24%
Central African Republic (2019)
61%
26%
Mali (2018)
54%
16%
Mozambique (2015)
53%
17%
South Sudan (2010)
52%
9%
Bangladesh (2019)
51%
16%
Burkina Faso (2015)
51%
9%
Guinea (2018)
47%
17%
Somalia (2006)
45%
8%
Erirtea (2010)
41%
13%
Ethiopia (2016)
40%
14%
Madagascar (2021)
39%
13%
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Share of married girlsUnder 18Under 15Niger (2012)Chad (2019)Central African Republic (2019)Mali (2018)Mozambique (2015)South Sudan (2010)Bangladesh (2019)Burkina Faso (2015)Guinea (2018)Somalia (2006)Erirtea (2010)Ethiopia (2016)Madagascar (2021)Malawi (2019-20)Mauritania (2019-21)Suriname (2018)Nicaragua (2011-12)Sudan (2014)Honduras (2019)Uganda (2016)
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UNICEF. (May 1, 2024). Countries with the highest child marriage rate as of 2023 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved March 15, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1226532/countries-with-the-highest-child-marriage-rate/
UNICEF. "Countries with the highest child marriage rate as of 2023." Chart. May 1, 2024. Statista. Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1226532/countries-with-the-highest-child-marriage-rate/
UNICEF. (2024). Countries with the highest child marriage rate as of 2023. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: March 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1226532/countries-with-the-highest-child-marriage-rate/
UNICEF. "Countries with The Highest Child Marriage Rate as of 2023." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 May 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1226532/countries-with-the-highest-child-marriage-rate/
UNICEF, Countries with the highest child marriage rate as of 2023 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1226532/countries-with-the-highest-child-marriage-rate/ (last visited March 15, 2025)
Countries with the highest child marriage rate as of 2023 [Graph], UNICEF, May 1, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1226532/countries-with-the-highest-child-marriage-rate/
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