Eastern Africa
Kenya
Absolute number
Prevalence
Married by 15: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 15
Married by 18: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 18
Prevalence of child marriage
- Kenya
- Eastern Africa
The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Kenya and Eastern Africa from 1997 to 2024.
In Kenya, 28% of girls in 1997 married before age 18, compared with 13% in 2022, which is the latest available value.
In Eastern Africa, the prevalence was 46% in 1999 and was 32% in 2024.
Show data table
| Year | Kenya | Eastern Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 27.6% | |
| 1999 | 46.2% | |
| 2002 | 27.0% | |
| 2004 | 43.5% | |
| 2007 | 29.7% | |
| 2009 | 44.6% | |
| 2012 | 25.5% | |
| 2014 | 42.1% | |
| 2017 | 20.3% | |
| 2019 | 37.4% | |
| 2022 | 12.5% | |
| 2024 | 32.4% |
Kenya
Child Marriage
Prevalence
Residence
- Rural
- Urban
Wealth
- Poorest
- Second
- Middle
- Fourth
- Richest
Education
- No schooling
- Primary education
- Secondary or higher
Compare regions of Kenya
Understand differences inside the country
Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Kenya in the last decades.
Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Kenya. See the range of values within the country, and explore the map for details.
Prevalence of child marriage
Compare regions of Kenya
Understand differences
inside the country
Region with no data
2022
Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Kenya in 2022
Region with no data
2022
Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Kenya in 2022
The map shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Kenya. Data refer to 2022, the latest year with available data.
The practice is most common in Tana (43%), Marsabit (40%), Samburu (37%), and Garissa (30%).
Show data table
| Year | Nairobi | Mombasa | Kwale | Kilifi | Tana | Lamu | Taita | Garissa | Wajir | Mandera | Marsabit | Isiolo | Meru | Tharaka-Nithi | Embu | Kitui | Machakos | Makueni | Nyandarua | Nyeri | Kirinyaga | Murang'a | Kiambu | Turkana | West | Samburu | Trans | Uasin | Elgeyo-Marakwet | Nandi | Baringo | Laikipia | Nakuru | Narok | Kajiado | Kericho | Bomet | Kakamega | Vihiga | Bungoma | Busia | Siaya | Kisumu | Homa | Migori | Kisii | Nyamira |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.0% | 8.1% | 26.7% | 19.4% | 42.9% | 20.8% | 19.9% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 27.9% | 40.0% | 23.1% | 27.2% | 11.6% | 7.1% | 9.7% | 3.8% | 2.4% | 8.7% | 9.5% | 12.4% | 8.1% | 6.0% | 26.1% | 23.5% | 36.7% | 11.2% | 5.4% | 9.9% | 10.1% | 13.5% | 15.0% | 9.5% | 16.0% | 18.0% | 14.9% | 17.5% | 8.4% | 11.1% | 12.2% | 12.9% | 7.9% | 11.1% | 17.1% | 29.4% | 16.3% | 18.6% |
Compare countries
How does Kenya compare to other countries?
Prevalence of child marriage
- Kenya
The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Kenya from 1997 to 2022.
In Kenya, 28% of girls in 1997 married before age 18, compared with 13% in 2022, which is the latest available value.
Residence
Child marriage prevalence
Review the data to find if girls living in rural areas are more likely to marry in childhood than girls in urban areas
The bubble chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) disaggregated by residence in Kenya. Data refer to the latest available year.
In Kenya, 13% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 16% of girls in rural areas, compared with 9% in urban areas.
For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website
UNICEF DataExplore other countries
Where does child marriage occur?
Drag to rotate the map
Select Other Country