State of the Nigerian Girl: An incisive diagnosis of child marriage in Nigeria

This report confirms our previous analysis that child marriage is both a cause and result of poor education of girls in Nigeria, with 10+ million out-of-school children in the country, of which over 60% are girls. If a girl is out of school, the likelihood of getting married at an early age is very high. When a girl is married young, she is robbed of her childhood and opportunities to realize her full potential. She has an increased risk of poor health outcomes, having children at a younger age, dropping out of school, experiencing ongoing violence in the home, being restricted in her mobility left with limited decision-making ability, and earning less over her lifetime. Girls in Nigeria are more impacted by inequality and discrimination than boys, and their rights to survive, learn, and be protected are unfulfilled and blatantly ignored.

We will continue to do whatever it takes until every last girl is free from early, child, and forced marriage and has the opportunity to survive, learn, and be protected.