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1	60% or over
2	40% to 59%
3	20% to 39%
4	10% - 19%
5	less than 10%
6	No Data

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Married Too Soon

"Child. To marry" – now a famous photo in Yemen as early marriage receives more attention

Over 64 million women now aged 20–24 years were married before the age of 18.

Child marriage is a violation of a girl's rights, and has a devastating impact. Marriage puts an end to a girl's childhood, her education, her freedom and often her contact with friends and family.

She becomes very vulnerable to abuse and neglect from her husband and his family as hers becomes a life of domestic drudgery. Girls in some cultures are forced to marry much older men or men with other wives. They may soon become pregnant – facing a much greater risk of death and damage in childbirth.

In some countries girls are married as children: in parts of Africa and Asia over a quarter of girls are married before the age of 15.

Africa

In Africa, 42% of women are married before the age of 18

Bangladesh

Over a third of all girls are married before the age of 15

Southern Asia

In Southern Asia, 48% (nearly 10 million) young women are married before the age of 18

MAPS

These maps are compiled using the most recently available data.
The huge gaps in the data reflect the low political priority previously given to women's health. 99% of maternal deaths still occur in developing countries; most of them in just half a dozen nations.
The majority are not recorded, just buried without trace.

CASE STUDIES

The stories connect us with the real lives behind the numbers. Working together we can prevent maternal deaths around the world. It has been done in many countries of the world, it can be done globally.

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