Where is child marriage most common? 

Child brides can be found in every region worldwide, including England and Wales. Although many countries have minimum age requirements, and many stipulate parental consent, informal unions may provide a way around this. Recorded cases are likely to be only a fraction of the number of overall cases. As many unions take place in religious ceremonies that aren’t formalised, it’s difficult to capture the true number of married girls both here in the UK and around the world.  

According to a UNICEF report, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have the highest rates of child marriage among girls. The highest overall number of child marriages in the world can be found in Niger. The highest rate of marriage amongst those under 15 years old is found in Bangladesh. Globally, South Asia accounts for 42% of all child brides with India making up one-third of the worldwide total.  

Communities with high rates of poverty are more likely to have a higher number of child brides, and rural communities have a higher incidence of early marriage than urban communities. For example, in Ethiopia 75% of girls are married before their 18th birthday in Amhara (northern Ethiopia), whereas in the nation’s capital, Addis Ababa, the risk of child marriage is much lower, with 26% of girls being married before 18. This pattern is reflected across West and Central Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.