Int'l Day of Girl Child: Child marriage still a barrier to women empowerment
Summary
Child marriage remains a major barrier to women’s empowerment in Nepal despite legal provisions and declining rates. A UNICEF analysis shows the practice has fallen sharply overall, but girls from the poorest households and marginalized communities remain at highest risk.
Key Points
- International Day of the Girl Child was marked with the theme “End child marriage, invest in girls’ rights.”
- UNICEF says child marriage in Nepal has declined significantly, but poverty, school dropout and inequality continue to drive the practice.
- Girls from the poorest households face far higher risks, while completion of secondary school lowers the likelihood of early marriage.
- Tarak Dhital and Tilottam Paudel warned against lowering Nepal’s legal marriage age from 20 to 18.
