By Atlantic Reports

An estimated 68 million child marriages have been averted over the past 25 years through investments in girls’ education, legal reform and social protection, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

In a message marking the International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October, the agency said the progress demonstrated that child marriage could be prevented when girls received sustained support and their rights were protected.

However, it warned that poverty, harmful social norms, conflict and displacement continued to threaten girls’ access to education, safety and the freedom to determine their futures.

UNICEF’s message, themed “End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights!”, called for stronger action to keep girls in school, expand essential services and support their leadership.

Millions Still Married Before Adulthood

According to estimates cited in the message, approximately one in five young women worldwide were married before turning 18. About 650 million women and girls alive today were married in childhood.

UNICEF said more than 12 million girls were married before adulthood each year, roughly one every three seconds. It identified sub-Saharan Africa as the region with the highest prevalence, at 31 per cent.

The agency described child marriage as a widespread violation of girls’ rights that could interrupt schooling, restrict opportunities and expose girls to health risks and violence.

It also cited an estimate that nearly one in four girls aged 15 to 19 who had ever been married or partnered had experienced intimate partner violence.

Beyond physical harm, UNICEF said child marriage could contribute to social isolation, anxiety and emotional distress, with lasting consequences for mental well-being.

Conflict and Displacement Heighten Risks

The agency warned that humanitarian crises, conflict and displacement increased girls’ vulnerability to child marriage, sexual violence and maternal mortality.

It said girls in fragile and conflict-affected settings were nearly 90 per cent more likely to be out of secondary school than girls in stable contexts, increasing their exposure to child marriage.

UNICEF also reported that girls aged 15 to 19 were twice as likely as boys to be outside education, employment or training.

These barriers, the agency said, underscored the need to connect education with accessible healthcare, protection and social services.

Call for Sustained Support

UNICEF urged governments and development partners to invest in girls’ rights while working with families and communities to challenge practices that perpetuate child marriage.

Its proposed measures included keeping girls in school, expanding essential services and ensuring that girls could participate in decisions affecting their lives.

The agency stressed that progress needed to accelerate so that every girl could enjoy a childhood, continue learning and make informed choices about her future.

It said the benefits of protecting girls extended beyond individuals to healthier families, stronger communities and more peaceful societies.

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