Eastern Africa

Malawi

Summary

Explore how common child marriage is throughout the country, how levels have changed over time, and how the situation in this country compares to others.

Absolute number

Prevalence

634.1 thousand

Married by 15: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 15

8%
2.6 million

Married by 18: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 18

38%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Eastern Africa
  • Malawi
Child marriage age
Show table of data
YearEastern AfricaMalawi
199548.6%
199846.5%
200048.5%
200343.7%
200548.8%
200844.2%
201047.8%
201341.9%
201544.4%
201837.4%
202037.7%
202332.7%
Child marriage age
Compare with other countries

Malawi

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Urban
  • Rural
Show Residence table of data
YearUrbanRural
202022.3%41.1%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth table of data
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
202048.6%46.1%40.3%32.7%18.7%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education table of data
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
202051.9%50.8%14.1%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Malawi

Understand differences inside the country

Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Malawi in the last decades.

Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Malawi. See the range of values within the country, and explore the map for details.

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Malawi

Understand differences
inside the country

33% 37% 43%
Child marriage age

Region with no data

2020

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Malawi in 2020

0%100%
Show table of data
YearMalawiCentral RegionNorthern RegionSouthern Region
37.7%33.4%37.2%42.5%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Malawi compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Malawi
Child marriage age
Show table of data
YearMalawi
199548.6%
200048.5%
200548.8%
201047.8%
201544.4%
202037.7%

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

Show table of data
CountryUrbanRuralTotal prevalence
Malawi22.3%41.1%37.7%
Perspective
Child marriage age

For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website

UNICEF Data

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Where does child marriage occur?

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