Middle Africa

Democratic Republic of the Congo

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

2.6 million

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

8%
8 million

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

29%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Middle Africa
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
Child marriage age
Show table of data
YearMiddle AfricaDemocratic Republic of the Congo
199331.1%
199833.6%31.5%
200333.9%32.8%
200834.0%33.5%
201335.6%31.2%
201834.1%29.1%
202333.1%
Child marriage age
Compare with other countries

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Urban
  • Rural
Show Residence table of data
YearUrbanRural
201819.4%40.1%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth table of data
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
201845.4%44.5%28.9%29.8%9.6%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education table of data
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
201841.7%46.0%22.0%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Understand differences inside the country

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

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

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Understand differences
inside the country

Child marriage age

Region with no data

2018

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2018

0%100%
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Region with no data

2018

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2018

0%100%
Show table of data
YearDemocratic Republic of the CongoBas-UeleEquateurHaut-KatangaHaut-LomamiHaut-UeleIturiKasaiKasai CentralKasai OrientalKinshasaKongo CentralKwangoKwiluLomamiLualabaMai-NdombeManiemaMongalaNord-KivuNord-UbangiSankuruSud-KivuSud-UbangiTanganyikaTshopoTshuapa
29.1%35.9%18.1%33.1%31.3%48.2%40.7%54.3%46.6%47.7%13.6%15.1%29.6%31.9%30.6%18.7%43.9%46.2%40.5%22.3%45.2%33.5%26.9%42.8%60.4%29.3%26.4%
Child marriage age

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How does Democratic Republic of the Congo compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
Child marriage age
Show table of data
YearDemocratic Republic of the Congo
199331.1%
199831.5%
200332.8%
200833.5%
201331.2%
201829.1%

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
Democratic Republic of the Congo19.4%40.1%29.1%
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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