New York, USA – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has warned that child marriage remains one of the most widespread human rights violations in the world. It stated that a girl under the age of 18 is married every three seconds, with an estimated 12 million girls married annually before reaching that age.
640 million women were married as children
In a statement released on Valentine’s Day, the fund explained that child marriage—both formal and informal—remains widespread. This exposes girls’ lives and health to serious risks. The United Nations estimates that approximately 640 million women and girls worldwide were married during childhood.
The statement added that girls forced into early marriage often become pregnant during adolescence. This increases the risk of pregnancy and childbirth complications, which are among the leading causes of death among adolescent girls. They are also subjected to physical and sexual violence.
The phenomenon is on the rise in Afghanistan
In the same vein, previous UN reports have indicated an unprecedented rise in child marriage rates in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power. These reports also warned of the repercussions on maternal mortality rates and the deteriorating conditions of women and girls.
The United Nations stressed the need to intensify international efforts to end this phenomenon by promoting girls’ education, enforcing deterrent laws, and supporting social programs that protect children’s rights and ensure a secure future for them.
This warning comes amidst growing calls for more effective global action to combat child marriage. Child marriage is a humanitarian and developmental challenge that threatens entire generations worldwide.
