I was deprived of everything: Global report hears from over 250 girls who experienced child marriage

Child marriage remains one of the biggest threats to girls across the globe, according to unique new research from Plan International which reveals how the harmful practice is placing girls at risk of violence and robbing them of life opportunities.

Over 250 girls and young women from 15 countries have shared their personal experiences of child marriage in one of the most extensive studies of its kind, reports a Plan International press release.

All were married or in informal unions before the age of 18 and together, their previously unheard testimonies lay bare the harms caused by early marriage.

“I was married at 14 because my parents thought it was the only way out of poverty. I was so unhappy in that marriage, but after my divorce, I started working in a factory and now I can support my family.” said Sumaiya, 21, from Bangladesh.

“I want other girls to have opportunities, not child marriage. If I have a daughter, I’ll tell her to study and stand on her own feet. And if I have a son, I’ll teach him to be the kind of man who never ruins a girl’s life,” she continued.

Globally, 12 million girls are married each year before their 18th birthday, despite the practice being illegal in most countries.

Plan International’s State of the World’s Girls Report 2025 ‘Let me be a child, not a wife - Girls’ experiences of living through child marriage’ heard from girls from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Ecuador, Nigeria, Niger, and Togo.

The vulnerability of girls within their marriages was a clear key theme to emerge from the testimonies. Still children, the girls reported how they were dominated by their, often older, partner and his family and for too many this resulted in violence.

Of the girls Plan International spoke to, more than one in 10 (13 per cent) disclosed experiencing violence, a figure which is likely to be a conservative estimate due to the stigma and taboo associated with discussing abuse.

Many girls reported the abuse as normal and that violence was not taken seriously in their communities with poor legal support. Almost half of the respondents (45 per cent) were married to a man five or more years older than they were, with some marrying men more than 10 or 20 years older.

Child marriage is still deeply woven into many communities around the world, with economic hardship or social and familial pressure cited as the most common reason for entering a marriage or union, by 46 per cent of girls who took part in the study.

The report reveals that deeply ingrained societal expectations of girls to become wives and mothers remain firmly in place today and place a high value on fertility and obedience, robbing girls of their freedom and future. Social media is also exposing girls to new risks.

In Asia and Latin America, it was found that online, older men were exploiting girls’ emotional and economic vulnerabilities – offering marriage as a golden ticket out of their hardship.

While some girls reported having a say in choosing their partners, many described intense family and social pressure to marry early to protect family honour, a decision many later regretted.

Although child marriage is illegal in 14 of the 15 countries studied (with Niger as the exception), weak enforcement, limited funding and legal loopholes allow the practice to persist.

In many contexts, girls can marry younger than boys, and underage unions are often approved by parents or judges. Informal or unregistered marriages are common, leaving girls without legal protection, property rights or child support.

Child marriage forces many girls out of education and limits their futures, over one in three (35 per cent) left school after marriage, and 63 per cent are not in education, employment or training.

Many face pressures to become pregnant soon after marriage, with husbands controlling contraception and finances, leaving girls with little autonomy over their lives and bodies.

Useaking, from Cox’s Bazar, who is now 21, dropped out of school at 15 got married and became a mother, said “I feel bad when I see my friends studying and working. They can live freely, but I cannot. If I had known the consequences, I might have made different choices.”

Nearly one in three (28 per cent) participants are now divorced, often facing stigma and financial hardship.

“This study shines a stark light on the hidden realities of child marriage, giving voice to girls and young women who are too often silenced, their lives shaped by decisions made without them,” said Reena Ghelani, chief executive officer of Plan International. 

“The message is clear: child marriage puts girls at risk of multiple harms and robs them of life opportunities. Progress is too slow, and laws are not doing enough to protect girls, meaning they are facing more risks and fewer choices - such as the right to decide if or when to marry or have children,” she added