The economic impacts of child marriage: Key findings
Summary
The brief explains how child marriage harms girls and undermines economic development. Using data from over 100 countries, it shows that girls who marry early leave school sooner, have more and earlier births, and earn less as adults. These individual losses add up to large macroeconomic costs, including higher population growth, more child deaths and stunting, lower productivity, and increased pressure on public budgets. Ending child marriage and early childbearing would generate welfare gains valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars per year by 2030. The authors conclude that ending child marriage is not only a human rights imperative but also a smart economic investment.
Purpose
The brief aims to show the economic and human costs of child marriage and to demonstrate why ending the practice should be a priority for national development and poverty-reduction efforts. It translates the social harms of child marriage into clear economic terms to support stronger policy action.
Audience
The brief is intended for policymakers, government planners, donors, development agencies, and advocacy groups working on gender equality, education, health, and economic development. It also serves researchers and practitioners seeking evidence to guide programmes that address child marriage.
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