Western Africa

Sierra Leone

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

371.8 thousand

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

9%
1.1 million

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

30%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Western Africa
  • Sierra Leone
Child marriage age
Show table of data
YearWestern AfricaSierra Leone
199450.5%
199841.7%
199951.1%
200340.7%
200449.6%
200838.8%
200944.1%
201339.5%
201434.8%
201839.7%
201929.6%
202331.6%
Child marriage age
Compare with other countries

Sierra Leone

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Urban
  • Rural
Show Residence table of data
YearUrbanRural
201918.6%41.8%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth table of data
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
201944.2%45.9%38.3%21.2%14.4%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education table of data
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
201946.0%50.6%18.9%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Sierra Leone

Understand differences inside the country

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

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

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Sierra Leone

Understand differences
inside the country

34% 38% 34% 34% 18%
Child marriage age

Region with no data

2019

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Sierra Leone in 2019

0%100%
Show table of data
YearSierra LeoneEasternNorth WesternNorthernSouthernWestern Area
29.6%34.2%37.5%33.6%33.7%17.6%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Sierra Leone compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Sierra Leone
Child marriage age
Show table of data
YearSierra Leone
199450.5%
199951.1%
200449.6%
200944.1%
201434.8%
201929.6%

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
Sierra Leone18.6%41.8%29.6%
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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