Ending child marriage in the Arab region.

Abstract

In the Arab region one in seven girls marries before her 18th birthday. Early marriage often means an end to the girls schooling forced sexual relations and early childbearing. Child marriage often perpetuates a cycle of poverty low education high fertility and poor health. This PRB policy brief presents the latest data on child marriage in the Arab region and explains how ending child marriage would help countries achieve their Millennium Development Goals to combat poverty and improve health and quality of life for all.