""Child and forced marriage is a human rights violation and a harmful practice that disproportionately affects women and girls globally, preventing them from living their lives free from all forms of violence."

Key facts

• Child marriage is rooted in gender inequality and disproportionately affects girls.
• Child marriage violates girls’ rights to health, education and economic opportunity.
• More than 650 million women and 115 million men alive today were married as children.
• 12 million girls under the age of 18 are married every year.
• If pre-pandemic trends continue, 150 million more girls will marry as children by 2030. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this may increase by 10 million more girls.