Southern Africa

South Africa

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

391.1 thousand

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

1%
1.9 million

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

4%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Southern Africa
  • South Africa
Child marriage age
Data table
YearSouthern AfricaSouth Africa
199111.2%
19968.8%
199911.6%
20015.9%
20049.2%
20067.0%
20096.3%
20115.5%
20147.3%
20163.6%
20195.8%
20243.9%
Child marriage age
Compare with other countries

South Africa

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Urban
  • Rural
Residence Data table
YearUrbanRural
20163.2%4.3%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Wealth Data table
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
20165.4%7.5%1.7%1.9%0.0%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Education Data table
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
201636.2%1.7%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of South Africa

Understand differences inside the country

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

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

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of South Africa

Understand differences
inside the country

3% 1% 4% 0% 4% 5% 11% 3% 5%
Child marriage age

Region with no data

2016

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of South Africa in 2016

0%100%

Region with no data

2016

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of South Africa in 2016

0%100%
Data table
YearEastern CapeFree StateGautengKwa-Zulu NatalLimpopoMpumalangaNorth WestNorthern CapeWestern Cape
3.4%0.9%4.1%0.4%4.3%4.8%11.0%2.9%4.6%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does South Africa compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • South Africa
Child marriage age
Data table
YearSouth Africa
199111.2%
19968.8%
20015.9%
20067.0%
20115.5%
20163.6%

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

Data table
CountryUrbanRuralTotal prevalence
South Africa3.2%4.3%3.6%
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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