Last update: January 2008

End harmful traditional or customary practices, such as early and forced marriage (...), which violate the rights of children and women.

The pace of change is slow

Worldwide, more than 60 million women aged 20–24 were married before they reached the age of 18. The extent of child marriage varies substantially between countries, but about half of the girls who are affected live in South Asia.

Child marriage is becoming less common overall, but the pace of change is slow. In 34 of the 55 countries with comparable data from two recent surveys, there has been no significant change in the percentage of women aged 20–24 married by 18, and only five countries experienced a decrease of more than 10 per cent.

Sources for figures: UNICEF global databases, 2007, based on MICS, DHS and other national surveys, 1987–2006.