Eastern Africa

Zimbabwe

Absolute number

Prevalence

285.7 thousand

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

5%
1.7 million

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

34%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Zimbabwe
  • Eastern Africa
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Zimbabwe and Eastern Africa from 1994 to 2024.

In Zimbabwe, 31% of girls in 1994 married before age 18, compared with 34% in 2019, which is the latest available value.

In Eastern Africa, the prevalence was 46% in 1999 and was 32% in 2024.

Show data table
YearZimbabweEastern Africa
199430.8%
199929.8%46.2%
200431.1%43.5%
200930.8%44.6%
201433.4%42.1%
201933.7%37.4%
202432.4%
Child marriage age

Zimbabwe

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Rural
  • Urban
Show Residence data table
YearRuralUrban
201943.7%21.3%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth data table
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
201950.8%51.7%39.7%31.2%13.2%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education data table
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
201963.4%27.2%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Zimbabwe

Understand differences inside the country

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

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

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Zimbabwe

Understand differences
inside the country

Child marriage age

Region with no data

2019

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Zimbabwe in 2019

0%100%
Map view not available for this data

Region with no data

2019

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Zimbabwe in 2019

0%100%

The map shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Zimbabwe. Data refer to 2019, the latest year with available data.

The practice is most common in Mashonaland (52%), Mashonaland (45%), Masvingo (43%), and Mashonaland (42%).

Show data table
YearBulawayoManicalandMashonalandMashonalandMashonalandMatabelelandMatabelelandMidlandsMasvingoHarare
10.9%38.1%52.1%45.1%42.2%29.4%20.3%30.3%43.4%23.0%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Zimbabwe compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Zimbabwe
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Zimbabwe from 1994 to 2019.

In Zimbabwe, 31% of girls in 1994 married before age 18, compared with 34% in 2019, which is the latest available value.

Show data table
YearZimbabwe
199430.8%
199929.8%
200431.1%
200930.8%
201433.4%
201933.7%

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

The bubble chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) disaggregated by residence in Zimbabwe. Data refer to the latest available year.

In Zimbabwe, 34% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 44% of girls in rural areas, compared with 21% in urban areas.

Show data table
CountryRuralUrbanTotal
Zimbabwe43.7%21.3%33.7%
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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