45% of girls in Somalia marry before the age of 18 and 8% marry before the age of 15.
Child marriage is driven by gender inequality and the belief that women and girls are somehow inferior to men and boys.
In Somalia, child marriage is exacerbated by:
● Family honour: Somali social norms are very sensitive about the protection of girls before marriage. Parents often marry off their daughters to protect them from sexual abuse on their way to and from school.