Eastern Africa
Somalia
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
- Somalia
- Eastern Africa
The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Somalia and Eastern Africa from 1981 to 2025.
In Somalia, 39% of girls in 1981 married before age 18, compared with 45% in 2006, which is the latest available value.
In Eastern Africa, the prevalence was 46% in 2000 and was 32% in 2025.
Show data table
| Year | Somalia | Eastern Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 38.8% | |
| 1986 | 46.1% | |
| 1991 | 49.9% | |
| 1996 | 49.1% | |
| 2000 | 45.9% | |
| 2001 | 44.0% | |
| 2005 | 43.5% | |
| 2006 | 45.3% | |
| 2010 | 44.5% | |
| 2015 | 41.8% | |
| 2020 | 36.9% | |
| 2025 | 32.2% |
Somalia
Child Marriage
Prevalence
Residence
- Rural
- Urban
Wealth
- Poorest
- Second
- Middle
- Fourth
- Richest
Education
- No schooling
- Primary education
- Secondary or higher
Compare regions of Somalia
Understand differences inside the country
Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Somalia in the last decades.
Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Somalia. See the range of values within the country, and explore the chart for details.
Prevalence of child marriage
Compare regions of Somalia
Understand differences
inside the country
Prevalence of child marriage before age 18 years in each region of Somalia in 2006.
Region with no data
2006
Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Somalia in 2006
The chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Somalia. Data refer to 2006, the latest year with available data.
The practice is most common in Central South (56%) and North East (36%).
Show data table
| Year | Central South | North East | North West |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 56.1% | 36.1% | 23.0% |
Compare countries
How does Somalia compare to other countries?
Prevalence of child marriage
- Somalia
The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Somalia from 1981 to 2006.
In Somalia, 39% of girls in 1981 married before age 18, compared with 45% in 2006, 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 Somalia. Data refer to the latest available year.
In Somalia, 45% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 52% of girls in rural areas, compared with 35% in urban areas.
For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website
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Where does child marriage occur?
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