CHILD MARIAGE
Despite the efforts of the authorities and partners, the rate of child marriage in Niger has barely changed in 20 years. according to the DHS Niger-mics 2012 survey, 76% of women aged 20 to 24 were married before the age of 18. the median age of marriage for girls (15 years old) is around nine years earlier than that for boys due to social, cultural and economic reasons. while child marriage affects everyone in Niger, children in rural areas are more affected than those in urban areas and more educated girls are less exposed than those who have had little or no schooling. Niger’s high fertility rate is directly linked to child marriage. the median age at which women and girls first have sexual relations is almost the same as the age of first union. the median age at first birth has barely changed since 1992, remaining at around 18 years. as a result, the fertility of adolescents aged 14 to 19 years remains high. here are portraits of Nigerien girls who were able to negotiate a delay in marriage…
Commissioned by UNFPA (United Nations Populations Fund)
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