UNICEF Averts 68 Million Child Marriages Through Education

The United Nations Agency for Children (UNICEF) announced that approximately 68 million child marriages have been averted over the past 25 years, attributing this progress to investments in girls' education, legal reform, and social protection. This information was shared in a message to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child, celebrated annually on October 11.

The 2026 theme is "End child marriage and invest in girls' rights!" UNICEF emphasized the need for solutions such as keeping girls in school, expanding access to health and social services, and challenging harmful norms. The agency reported that one in five girls globally are married before age 18, affecting around 650 million women and girls today.

Additionally, nearly one in four ever married or partnered girls aged 15 to 19 have faced intimate partner violence. The report highlighted that crises and conflicts increase the risks of child marriage and violence against girls, with those aged 15 to 19 being twice as likely as boys to be out of education, employment, or training.