Kathmandu, June 7

Nepal is one of the top 10 countries worldwide with a prevalence of child marriage among boys, UNICEF said today, in its first ever in-depth analysis of child grooms.

In Nepal, one in 10 men aged between 20 and 24 were married as children. A study that analysed data from 82 countries revealed that child marriage among boys is prevalent across a range of countries around the world, spanning sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia and East Asia and the Pacific.

“Marriage steals childhood,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, adding, “Child grooms are forced to take on adult responsibilities for which they may not be ready. Early marriage brings early fatherhood, and with it an added responsibility to provide for the family, cutting short education and job opportunities.”

According to the data, the Central African Republic has the highest prevalence of child marriage among males (28 per cent), followed by Nicaragua (19 per cent) and Madagascar (13 per cent). Nepal ranks the tenth highest and is the only country in South Asia with a significant prevalence of child marriages among both boys and girls. The new estimates bring the total number of child brides and child grooms to 765 million. Girls remain disproportionately affected, with 1 in 5 young women aged between 20 and 24 getting married before they turn  18, compared to 1 in 30 young men.

While the prevalence, causes and impact of child marriage among girls have been extensively studied, little research has been carried out on child marriage among boys. Most of the victims of child marriage are from the poorest households, who live in rural areas and have little to no education.

“As we mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, we need to remember that marrying boys and girls off, while they are still children runs counter to the rights enshrined in the Convention. Through further research, investment and empowerment, we can end this child rights violation,” said Fore.