Ghana sees 36.6% drop in child marriages from 2010 to 2021 - GSS

Ghanaian

Data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reveals a notable decrease in the number of children aged 12 to 17 who are currently or previously married or cohabiting without formal recognition in 2021.

From 2010 to 2021, the count of minors in marital unions dropped from 206,633 to 130,814, indicating a decline of 75,819 individuals, equivalent to a 36.6% reduction.

Read full articleIn 2010, girls comprised 54.2% of those in unions, with boys making up 45.8%.

In 2021, the number of girls decreased from 112,089 to 79,733, and boys decreased from 94,554 to 51,081. The highest proportion of children in marital unions were 17 years old, totaling over 31,000.

Moreover, men constituted 39.0% and women 61.0% of those involved in child marriages in 2021. Despite the decrease, over 100,000 children were still in unions, although there was a reduction in the number and percentage over the past decade.

While the national rate halved during the intercensal period, child marriage increased in five regions (Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, and Upper West) from 2010 to 2021. The North East region had the highest rate of child marriage, with one in ten youngsters aged 12 to 17 engaging in marital unions.

To address this issue, Ghana implemented the National Strategic Framework on Ending Child Marriage (2017–2026) in 2016, alongside policies such as the Gender Policy (2015) and the Justice for Children Policy (2016), aiming to further reduce child marriages.