142 Million Girls Could Be Married before 18 in the Next Decade

Acording to the report Marrying too young: end Child Marriage released yesterday (11th October) by the United Nations Regulation Funds (UNFPA), by 2030 the number of child brides marrying each year will have grown from 14.2 million in 2010 to 15.1 million, that is over 14 per cent if current trends continue. It was also stated that one in three girls in developing countries (excluding China) will be married before 18.
The report also finds that, despite laws to prevent its practice, child marriage has remained mostly constant in developing countries over the past decade.
Being forced to marry too young, increases a girl's chance that she will become pregnant before she is physically and psychologically ready. Problems associated with pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death for girls aged 15 to 19 worldwide. Girls forced into marriage inevitably must leave school -- their childhoods robbed, their education shortchanged, and their dreams for a future shattered. Beyond the obvious human rights concerns and health consequences of early marriage -- exposing girls to marital rape, domestic violence, high risk pregnancies, HIV/AIDS infection, and the risk of maternal mortality or obstetric fistula, the practice also poses serious implications for development. It is an issue that is inextricably linked to the cycle of poverty.

Source: https://www.unfpa.org/public/home/news/pid/12348