Eastern Africa
South Sudan
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
- South Sudan
- Eastern Africa
The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in South Sudan and Eastern Africa from 1985 to 2024.
In South Sudan, 32% of girls in 1985 married before age 18, compared with 52% in 2010, which is the latest available value.
In Eastern Africa, the prevalence was 46% in 1999 and was 32% in 2024.
Show data table
| Year | South Sudan | Eastern Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 32.3% | |
| 1990 | 32.2% | |
| 1995 | 38.9% | |
| 1999 | 46.2% | |
| 2000 | 45.0% | |
| 2004 | 43.5% | |
| 2005 | 50.8% | |
| 2009 | 44.6% | |
| 2010 | 51.5% | |
| 2014 | 42.1% | |
| 2019 | 37.4% | |
| 2024 | 32.4% |
South Sudan
Child Marriage
Prevalence
Residence
- Rural
- Urban
Wealth
- Poorest
- Second
- Middle
- Fourth
- Richest
Education
- No schooling
- Primary education
- Secondary or higher
Compare regions of South Sudan
Understand differences inside the country
Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of South Sudan in the last decades.
Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of South Sudan. See the range of values within the country, and explore the map for details.
Prevalence of child marriage
Compare regions of South Sudan
Understand differences
inside the country
Region with no data
2010
Prevalence of child marriage in each region of South Sudan in 2010
Region with no data
2010
Prevalence of child marriage in each region of South Sudan in 2010
The map shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across South Sudan. Data refer to 2010, the latest year with available data.
The practice is most common in Unity (80%), Upper (59%), Western (59%), and Lakes (51%).
Show data table
| Year | Central Equatoria | Eastern Equatoria | Jonglei | Lakes | Northern Bahr El Ghazal | Unity | Upper Nile | Warrap | Western Bahr El Ghazal | Western Equatoria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48.0% | 40.1% | 50.5% | 51.0% | 49.3% | 80.3% | 59.2% | 43.2% | 47.0% | 58.7% |
Compare countries
How does South Sudan compare to other countries?
Prevalence of child marriage
- South Sudan
The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in South Sudan from 1985 to 2010.
In South Sudan, 32% of girls in 1985 married before age 18, compared with 52% in 2010, 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 South Sudan. Data refer to the latest available year.
In South Sudan, 52% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 52% of girls in rural areas, compared with 51% 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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