Melanesia

Papua New Guinea

Absolute number

Prevalence

266.4 thousand

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

8%
863.4 thousand

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

27%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Papua New Guinea
  • Melanesia
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Papua New Guinea and Melanesia from 1993 to 2024.

In Papua New Guinea, 27% of girls in 1993 married before age 18, compared with 27% in 2018, which is the latest available value.

In Melanesia, the prevalence was 26% in 1999 and was 25% in 2024.

Show data table
YearPapua New GuineaMelanesia
199327.3%
199826.9%
199926.1%
200330.5%
200425.6%
200828.8%
200928.1%
201328.8%
201426.9%
201827.3%
201926.3%
202425.2%
Child marriage age
Compare with other countries

Papua New Guinea

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Rural
  • Urban
Show Residence data table
YearRuralUrban
201829.0%17.2%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth data table
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
201831.6%33.5%29.8%27.7%19.8%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education data table
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
201842.3%35.7%11.9%
Child marriage age

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How does Papua New Guinea compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Papua New Guinea
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Papua New Guinea from 1993 to 2018.

In Papua New Guinea, 27% of girls in 1993 married before age 18, compared with 27% in 2018, which is the latest available value.

Show data table
YearPapua New Guinea
199327.3%
199826.9%
200330.5%
200828.8%
201328.8%
201827.3%

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 Papua New Guinea. Data refer to the latest available year.

In Papua New Guinea, 27% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 29% of girls in rural areas, compared with 17% in urban areas.

Show data table
CountryRuralUrbanTotal
Papua New Guinea29.0%17.2%27.3%
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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