By Admin 
Child Marriage: Even in 2025, child marriage remains one of the biggest human rights challenges worldwide. Although many countries have taken strict legal and social steps to end the practice, millions of children are still married before the age of 18. Let us know which is the country where child marriages take place the most in the world.
Where in the world do most child marriages take place?
According to the new data of 2025, the highest number of child marriages take place in Niger. About 76% of girls in Niger get married before the age of 18 and about 28% get married before the age of 15. The situation is even more worrying in some places like Maradi. The rate of child marriage here has reached 89%. The legal framework here is behind this crisis. Here the minimum age of marriage for boys is 18 years and the legal age of marriage for girls is only 15 years.
Why are there so many child marriages here?
Extreme poverty plays a large role in maintaining child marriage in Niger and other African countries like it. Families struggling to make ends meet often see early marriage as a way to reduce financial burdens or receive dowry-related benefits. Limited access to education is exacerbating this problem. Because girls who drop out of school are more likely to get married early.
Where else do child marriages take place except Niger?
After Niger, countries like the Central African Republic, Chad and Mali have some of the highest rates of child marriage in the world. Rates have been reported to be around 68% in the Central African Republic, 67% in Chad and 54% in Mali.
What is the situation in India?
Whereas Niger is at the forefront in terms of percentage, India has a different and equally disturbing record. Due to such a large population, India has the highest number of child brides in the world. By 2025, an estimated 22.24 crore women in India were married before the age of 18. In simple words, one out of every three child brides across the world lives in India.
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