Child marriage is a violation of children’s rights and is detrimental to the lives of children, families, society, and the economy.
Unfortunately, it is still quite prevalent in Africa. Young girls are at the short end of the stick, but young boys can also get married early.
Child marriage is allowed in these African countries:
1. Nigeria
Nigeria has high child marriage rates, one of the highest in Africa, despite the federal Child Rights Act prohibiting marriage below 18.
The constitution appears to conflict with this, and Islamic legal systems have failed to adopt both federal law and 18 as the age of majority for marriage, thus girls as young as 12 can get married.
2. Sudan
In Sudan, 12% of girls were married before the age of 15, and 34% of females were married before the age of 18.
Due to a rigid interpretation of Sharia law, child marriage is permitted in Sudan, allowing both boys and girls to get married as early as age 10.
Stereotypes around premarital sex also frequently force girls into early marriage.
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3. Niger
Niger has had the highest child marriage rate in the world for the past 20 years, with 76% of women aged 20 to 24 getting married before turning 18, and up to 28% getting married by the age of 15.
In contrast, 6% of boys get married before turning 18, according to the DHS Niger-MICS 2012 surveys.
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4. Somalia
Somalia has the eighth highest rate of child marriage worldwide, with approximately 45% of girls getting married before turning 18, according to the MICS survey.
Parents would rather marry them off their young girls to avoid the public humiliation of having their girls abused when travelling to or from school.
Religious leaders also allow child marriage to occur and do not condemn it.
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5. Mali
Mali has the fifth highest prevalence of female child marriages globally, with 15% of 15-19 year old girls married by age 15, compared to 18% of women aged 20-49.
A 2018 study by the Institut National de la Statistique revealed that 53% of women aged 20-49 were married before age 18, but only 3% of men were married, with no recorded marriages of boys aged 15 or younger.
These countries should criminalise child marriages, as has been done in other African countries like Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.