Editing Child marriage (section)

===Africa===
[[File:RUN.webm|thumb|''RUN'', a short documentary film focusing on [[child marriage in Nigeria]]]]
[[File:Girl_Summit_-_22nd_July_in_London_(14498368279).jpg|thumb|Poster against child and forced marriage]]

According to [[UNICEF]], [[Africa]] has the highest incidence rates of child marriage, with over 50% of girls marrying under the age of eighteen in five nations.<ref name=unicef12a/> Girls in West and [[Central Africa]] have the highest risk of marrying in childhood. Niger has one of the highest rates of early marriage in sub-Saharan Africa.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Giwa |first=Audee T. |last2=Hamza |first2=Sha'awanatu |date=2021-12-15 |title=Interrogating the Spectre of Child Marriage in the Selected Works of Zaynab Alkali and Abubakar Gimba |url=https://www.ejlls.com/paper/interrogating-the-spectre-of-child-marriage-in-the-selected-works-of-zaynab-alkali-and-abubakar-gimba |journal=Ebonyi Journal of Language and Literary Studies |volume=4 |issue=1}}</ref> Among Nigerien women between the ages of twenty and twenty-four, 76% reported marrying before the age of eighteen, and 28% reported marrying before the age of fifteen.<ref name=autogenerated4/> This UNICEF report is based on data that is derived from a small sample survey between 1995 and 2004, and the current rate is unknown given the lack of infrastructure and in some cases, regional violence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/Early_Marriage_12.lo.pdf|title=Child Marriage|publisher=UNICEF|year=2005|volume=Table 1|access-date=12 August 2013|archive-date=28 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828013412/http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/Early_Marriage_12.lo.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

UNICEF stated in 2018 that although the number of child marriages has declined on a worldwide scale, the problem remains most severe in Africa, despite the fact that Ethiopia cut child marriage rates by one third.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 March 2018 |title=Child marriages declining, says Unicef |language=en-GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-43297085 |access-date=2018-03-06}}</ref>

African countries have enacted marriageable age laws to limit marriage to a [[minimum age]] of 16 to 18, depending on the jurisdiction. In Ethiopia, Chad and Niger, the legal marriage age is 15, but local customs and religious courts have the power to allow marriages below 12 years of age.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irinnews.org/report/82419/|title=IRIN Africa – NIGER: Early marriage – from rural custom to urban business – Niger – Children – Economy – Education – Gender Issues – Human Rights|newspaper=Irinnews |agency=The New Humanitarian|date=16 January 2009}}</ref> Child marriages of girls in West Africa, Central Africa and Northeast Africa are widespread.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://esaro.unfpa.org/public/cache/offonce/pid/12340;jsessionid=335EEB85D3DDF28D04E3D82F7753FC83.jahia01|title=Africa – Child marriage|author=Lbarnes|work=unfpa.org|access-date=2013-08-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014172929/http://esaro.unfpa.org/public/cache/offonce/pid/12340;jsessionid=335EEB85D3DDF28D04E3D82F7753FC83.jahia01|archive-date=2013-10-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> Additionally, poverty, religion, tradition, and conflict make the rate of child marriage in Sub-Saharan Africa very high in some regions.<ref name="nourreport">{{citation |last=Nour |first=Nawal M. |title=Health Consequences of Child Marriage in Africa |journal=Emerging Infectious Diseases |volume=12 |issue=11 |pages=1644–1649 |year=2006 |url=http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/12/11/06-0510_article | issn = 1080-6059 |pmid=17283612 |doi=10.3201/eid1211.060510 |pmc=3372345}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.plan-uk.org/early-and-forced-marriage/ |title=Ending Forced Child Marriage |access-date=2025-01-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108051310/https://plan-uk.org/resources/documents/Breaking-Vows-Early-and-Forced-Marriage-and-Girls-Education/ |archive-date=2011-11-08 }}</ref>

In many traditional systems, a man pays a [[bride price]] to the girl's family to marry her (comparable to the customs of dowry and [[dower]]). In many parts of Africa, this payment, in cash, cattle, or other valuables, decreases as a girl gets older. Even before a girl reaches puberty, it is common for a married girl to leave her parents to be with her husband. Many marriages are related to poverty, with parents needing the bride price of a daughter to feed, clothe, educate, and house the rest of the family. In Mali, the female-to-male ratio of marriage before age 18 is 72:1; in Kenya, 21:1.<ref name="nourreport" />

The various reports indicate that in many Sub-Saharan countries, there is a high incidence of marriage among girls younger than 15. Many governments have tended to overlook the particular problems resulting from child marriage, including [[obstetric fistula]]e, [[premature birth]]s, [[stillbirth]], [[sexually transmitted diseases]] (including [[cervical cancer]]), and [[malaria]].<ref name="nourreport" />

In parts of Ethiopia and Nigeria, many girls are married before the age of 15, some as young as 7.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-16 |title=FEATURE {{!}} 'Living as orphan': The story of Nigerian girls running away from child marriage |url=https://theinformant247.com/feature-living-as-orphan-the-story-of-nigerian-girls-running-away-from-early-marriage/ |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=The Informant247 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated4>{{cite web|url=http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2005/presskit/factsheets/facts_child_marriage.htm|title=Child marriage – UNFPA – United Nations Population Fund|work=unfpa.org}}</ref> In parts of Mali, 39% of girls are married before the age of 15. In Niger and Chad, over 70% of girls are married before the age of 18.<ref name="nourreport" /> Over fifty million women in Africa were married before the age of 18.<ref name="i538">{{cite web | last=Hassfurter | first=Karoline | title=Child marriage in Eastern and Southern Africa: A statistical overview and reflections on ending the practice | website=UNICEF DATA | date=2022-06-16 | url=https://data.unicef.org/resources/child-marriage-in-eastern-and-southern-africa-a-statistical-overview-and-reflections-on-ending-the-practice/ | access-date=2024-10-27}}</ref>

====The Gambia====
In 2016, during a feast ending the [[Muslim]] holy month of [[Ramadan]], [[the Gambia|Gambia]]n President [[Yahya Jammeh]] announced that child and forced marriages were banned.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/cb97e2220e2d4ced8046032c8387606f/gambias-leader-says-ban-child-marriage-today |title=Gambia's leader says ban on child marriage 'as from today' |agency=Associated Press |access-date=2016-07-11 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220123839/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/cb97e2220e2d4ced8046032c8387606f/gambias-leader-says-ban-child-marriage-today |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="autogenerated5">{{cite web |date=16 December 2015 |title=Gambia and Tanzania outlaw child marriage – BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36746174 |access-date=2016-07-11 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>

====Kenya====
In [[Kenya]], 23% of girls are married before age 18, including 4% by age 15.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/child-marriage/kenya/|title=Child marriage around the world: KENYA|work=[[Girls Not Brides]] |last1=Brides |first1=Girls Not }}</ref>

==== Malawi ====
In 2015, [[Malawi]] passed a law banning child marriage, which raises the minimum age for marriage to 18.<ref>{{cite news |last=Batha |first=Emma |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malawi-childmarriage-law-idUSKBN0LK1Z020150217 |title=Malawi bans child marriage, lifts minimum age to 18 |work=Reuters|date=9 February 2009 |access-date=2015-02-18 |archive-date=18 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018234916/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/17/us-malawi-childmarriage-law-idUSKBN0LK1Z020150217 |url-status=live }}</ref> This major accomplishment came following years of effort by the Girls Empowerment Network campaign, which ultimately led to tribal and traditional leaders banning the cultural practice of child marriage.<ref>{{cite web |title=United Nations General Assembly. Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: Preventing and eliminating child, early and forced marriage |url=https://www.unodc.org/res/e4j/data/_university_uni_/preventing_and_eliminating_child_early_and_forced_marriage_html/english.pdf}}</ref>

====Morocco====
In [[Morocco]], child marriage is a common practice. Over 41,000 marriages every year involve child brides.<ref name=almo2012>{{cite web|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/culture/2012/12/outlawing-child-marriage-in-morocco.html|title=Outlawing Child Marriage in Morocco – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East|work=Al-Monitor|date=27 December 2012}}</ref> Before 2003, child marriages did not require a court's or state's approval. In 2003, Morocco passed the family law (''Moudawana'') that raised the minimum age of marriage for girls from 14 to 18, with the exception that underage girls may marry with the permission of the government-recognized official/court and girl's guardian.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://magharebia.com/fr/articles/awi/reportage/2009/10/09/reportage-01|title=Les marocains évaluent les progrès de la Moudawana Siham Ali, Magharebia à Rabat (October 9, 2009)|access-date=2018-03-03}}</ref><ref>[http://www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?ID=23980 Morocco: Underage marriages increase] CRIN, Rabat (28 January 2011)</ref> Over the 10 years preceding 2008, requests for child marriages have been predominantly approved by Morocco's Ministry for Social Development, and have increased (c. 29% of all marriages).<ref name=almo2012/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/CultureAndMedia/?id=1.0.2375314024|title=Morocco: Child marriages continue despite law to curb practice – Adnkronos Culture And Media|work=adnkronos.com|access-date=28 September 2013|archive-date=22 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822123838/http://www1.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/CultureAndMedia/?id=1.0.2375314024|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some child marriages in Morocco are a result of Article 475 of the Moroccan penal code, a law that allows rapists to avoid punishment if they marry their underage victims.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unicef.org/policyanalysis/morocco_62113.html|title=In Morocco, the rape and death of an adolescent girl prompts calls for changes to the penal code|date=28 March 2012|work=UNICEF|access-date=28 September 2013|archive-date=28 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828035630/https://www.unicef.org/policyanalysis/morocco_62113.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://arabia.msn.com/news/middle-east/1357449/morocco-eyes-law-on-rape-and-child-marriage/|title=Morocco eyes law on rape and child marriage |publisher=[[MSN]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002161705/http://arabia.msn.com/news/middle-east/1357449/morocco-eyes-law-on-rape-and-child-marriage/|archive-date=2013-10-02}}</ref> Article 475 was amended in January 2014 after much campaigning, and rapists can legally no longer avoid sentencing by marrying their victims.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25855025 | publisher=BBC News | title=Morocco amends controversial rape marriage law | date=23 January 2014}}</ref>

====Mozambique====
In 2019, [[Mozambique|Mozambique's]] national assembly passed a law prohibiting child marriage. This law came after national movements condemning Mozambique's high rate of child marriage, with 50% of girls marrying under the age of 18.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/07/19/mozambique-passes-law-end-child-marriage|title=Mozambique Passes Law to End Child Marriage|date=19 July 2019|publisher=Human Rights Watch|language=en|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>

====Nigeria====
As of 2006, 15–20% of school dropouts in Nigeria were the result of child marriage.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nguyen, Minh Cong and Quentin Wodon. 2012. "Child Marriage and Education: A Major Challenge". |url=http://www.ungei.org/files/Child_Marriage_Edu_Note.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818222110/http://www.ungei.org/files/Child_Marriage_Edu_Note.pdf |archive-date=18 August 2019 |access-date=8 May 2015}}</ref> In 2013, Nigeria attempted to change Section 29, Subsection 4 of its laws and thereby prohibit child marriages. Christianity and Islam are each practiced by roughly half of its population, and the country continues with personal laws from its [[Colonial Nigeria|British colonial-era]] laws, in which child marriages are forbidden for its Christians and allowed for its Muslims.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nigeria: Senate Denies Child Marriage Wrongdoing, Says Law May Be Revisited |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201307240287.html |work=[[AllAfrica]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=More on child brides: After a political fight, Nigeria will continue allowing them |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/07/24/more-on-child-brides-after-a-political-fight-nigeria-will-continue-allowing-them/}}</ref> In Nigeria, child marriage is a divisive topic and widely practiced. In northern states, which are predominantly Muslim, over 50% of the girls marry before the age of 15.<ref>{{cite news |date=4 September 2013 |title=Nigeria – Child Not Bride |work=[[AllAfrica]] |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201309040944.html}}</ref>

==== South Africa ====
In [[South Africa]], the law provides for respecting the marriage practices of traditional marriages, whereby a person might be married as young as 12 for females and 14 for males.<ref name="nourreport" /> Early marriage is cited as "a barrier to continuing education for girls (and boys)". This includes ''absuma'' ([[arranged marriage]]s set up [[cousin marriage|between cousins]] at birth in a local Islamic ethnic group), [[bride kidnapping]], and elopement decided on by the children.<ref>{{cite web |title=Learning from Children, Families and Communities to Increase Girls' Participation in Primary School |url=http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/ethopedu/Ethiopia_girls_ed.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217053046/http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/ethopedu/Ethiopia_girls_ed.pdf |archive-date=2008-12-17 |work=Save the Children USA report}}</ref>

==== Tanzania====
In 2016, the [[High Court of Tanzania|Tanzanian High Court]] – in a case filed by the ''Msichana Initiative'', a lobbying group that advocates for girls' right to education – ruled in favor of protecting girls from the harms of early marriage.<ref name="autogenerated5" /><ref name="Tanzania">{{cite web |date=8 July 2016 |title=Dispatches: Tanzanian High Court Rules Against Child Marriage &#124; Human Rights Watch |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/07/08/dispatches-tanzanian-high-court-rules-against-child-marriage |access-date=2016-07-11 |publisher=Human Rights Watch}}</ref> It is now illegal for anyone younger than 18 to marry in Tanzania.<ref name="Tanzania" />

==== Zimbabwe ====
A 2015 Human Rights Watch report stated that in [[Zimbabwe]], one-third of women aged between 20 and 49 years old had married before reaching the age of 18.<ref>{{cite web|title = Zimbabwe's top court outlaws child marriage {{!}} News {{!}} DW.COM {{!}} 20.01.2016|url = http://www.dw.com/en/zimbabwes-top-court-outlaws-child-marriage/a-18994890|publisher = Deutsche Welle|access-date = 2016-01-23|first = Deutsche Welle|last = (www.dw.com)}}</ref> In January 2016, two women who had been married as children brought a court case requesting a change in the legal age of marriage to the Constitutional Court,<ref>{{cite web|title = Zimbabwe's Constitutional Court Outlaws Child Marriages|url = https://www.voanews.com/a/zimbabwe-constitutional-court-oulaws-child-marriages/3154549.html|website = VOA|access-date = 2016-01-23|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160224001425/http://www.voanews.com/content/zimbabwe-constitutional-court-oulaws-child-marriages/3154549.html|archive-date = 2016-02-24|url-status = live}}</ref> with the result that the court declared that 18 is to be the minimum age for a legal marriage for both men and women (previously the legal age had been 16 for women and 18 for men). The law took effect immediately and was hailed by several human rights, women's rights, medical, and legal groups as a landmark ruling for the country.<ref>{{cite web|title = Landmark ruling hailed {{!}} The Herald|url = http://www.herald.co.zw/landmark-ruling-hailed/|website = herald.co.zw|access-date = 2016-01-23}}</ref>