The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) in Kenya has expressed concern that child marriage remains a significant risk for girls in the country, despite progress in reducing early unions. According to NGEC, approximately 3.9 million Kenyan girls and women have been married before turning 18. This issue is being highlighted on the International Day of the Girl Child, which is observed annually on October 11.
The NGEC has called for increased investment in girls' education, protection services, and economic empowerment to eliminate child marriage and safeguard their future. The commission noted that globally, about 640 million girls and women alive today were married during childhood, while 12 million girls enter child marriages every year before their 18th birthday. The theme for this year's International Day of the Girl Child is "End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls' Rights."
Kenya has made progress in reducing child marriage, with the proportion of women aged 20 to 24 who were married or in a union before 18 falling from 23 per cent in 2014 to 13 per cent in 2022, according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. However, the NGEC warned that national figures mask significant regional and economic inequalities. Certain counties, such as Tana River, Marsabit, and Samburu, have high prevalence rates of 43 per cent, 40 per cent, and 37 per cent, respectively.
The practice of child marriage is more prevalent in rural areas, affecting an estimated 16 per cent of girls, compared with nine per cent in urban areas. Girls from the poorest households are particularly vulnerable, with prevalence estimated at 29 per cent, compared with six per cent among those from the wealthiest households. The NGEC emphasized that early marriage undermines girls' health and safety, interrupts their education, and limits their ability to participate in economic activities.
The commission also noted a close relationship between child marriage and teenage pregnancy, estimated at 15 per cent nationally. NGEC Chairperson Rehema Jaldesa stated that the country needs to move beyond policy commitments and strengthen implementation to ensure girls are protected, particularly in communities where the practice remains widespread. The NGEC called on law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and the Judiciary to investigate and prosecute child marriage-related offences promptly.
The NGEC urged civil registration and marriage authorities to strengthen birth registration and age verification to prevent underage unions, including customary and religious marriages. The Ministry of Education and county governments were asked to address financial and social barriers that push girls out of school, as well as ensure adolescent mothers and girls leaving child marriages can return to learning without discrimination. Increased funding for bursaries, menstrual health support, life skills, safe spaces, and protection services was also called for.
The NGEC encouraged the public to report children at risk of abuse, including early marriage, through the National Child Helpline on 116 or the National Gender-Based Violence Helpline on 1195. The commission reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality and called for sustained action to ensure every girl enjoys her childhood, completes her education, and has the freedom to determine her future.
Key points
- The NGEC warns that 3.9 million Kenyan girls and women have been married before turning 18.
- Child marriage prevalence varies significantly by region and economic status in Kenya.
- The NGEC calls for increased investment in girls' education, protection services, and economic empowerment to eliminate child marriage.
