Child marriage remains one of Ghana’s persistent but under-discussed public health and social problems. It occurs when a girl or boy marries before the age of 18, often driven by poverty, cultural traditions, or family pressure.
According to UNICEF’s Child Marriage Country Profile – Ghana (2021, p. 1), about 19 per cent of girls aged 20–24 were married before their eighteenth birthday — roughly 2.2 million child brides. Similarly, the UNFPA–Population Council Situational Analysis on Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Ghana (2019, p. 11) found that in some northern regions, over 30 per cent of girls marry before 18.
Although frequently viewed through a cultural lens, child marriage is also a severe health, social, and economic issue with consequences that span generations.
Child Marriage and Cervical Cancer
Early marriage exposes girls to early sexual activity, which heightens the risk of contracting the human papillomavirus (HPV), the leading cause of cervical cancer.
The World Health Organisation’s Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Guidelines (2014, p. 5) note that early sexual debut greatly increases HPV exposure. Many child brides begin sexual activity before vaccination or full physical maturity, placing them at long-term risk. Preventing early marriage and expanding HPV vaccination, as urged in WHO’s Global Strategy to Eliminate Cervical Cancer (2020, p. 9), are essential to protecting young women.
Obstetric Fistula and Early Pregnancy
According to the WHO Obstetric Fistula Factsheet (2021, p. 2), girls who become pregnant before their pelvis matures face obstructed labour, leading to obstetric fistula — a devastating injury that causes chronic leakage of urine or stool.
The BMC Public Health study “Child Marriage and Associated Outcomes in Northern Ghana” (2018, p. 6) reported that one in five girls in northern Ghana marries before 18, greatly increasing obstetric complications. Many affected girls are stigmatised or abandoned, reinforcing poverty and poor health outcomes.
Anemia and Nutritional Problems
Adolescent brides also face serious nutritional challenges. The Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (2014, p. 154) found that 48 per cent of girls aged 15–19 are anemic.
As UNICEF’s Ghana Country Profile (2020, p. 5) explains, girls under 18 have not built sufficient iron reserves, and pregnancy further depletes them — leading to fatigue, infection, and sometimes death. Their babies are often underweight. The UNICEF Adolescent Nutrition Report (2019, p. 12) stresses that improving girls’ nutrition before pregnancy helps break this intergenerational health cycle.
Postpartum Hemorrhage and Maternal Death
The WHO Maternal Mortality Report (2019, p. 10) reveals that mothers under 20 are at higher risk of postpartum hemorrhage — a major cause of maternal deaths in Ghana.
Many adolescents deliver at home or in poorly equipped facilities. The Ghana Health Service Annual Report (2022, p. 45) links a significant share of maternal deaths to adolescent pregnancies. Delaying marriage and childbirth until adulthood could drastically reduce maternal mortality and improve survival outcomes.
Impact on the Next Generation
Children born to adolescent mothers often begin life at a disadvantage. The UNICEF Data Brief: Child Marriage and the Next Generation (2023, p. 3) shows that such children are more likely to be premature, underweight, or face developmental delays.
Studies published on PubMed reveal that they perform poorly in school and have reduced earning potential as adults, perpetuating intergenerational poverty and weakening the nation’s human capital.
Loss of Education and Opportunities
UNICEF’s Child Marriage Country Profile – Ghana (2021, p. 2) identifies early marriage as a major cause of school dropout among girls. Once married, most never return to education.
Without schooling, girls lose opportunities for decent work and economic independence. The UNFPA–UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage Annual Report (2021, p. 18) confirms that girls who stay in school are up to six times less likely to marry early.
Education, therefore, remains the strongest safeguard against both child marriage and poverty.
Increased Risk of HIV and STIs
Child brides often marry older men who have higher exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The WHO Global Health Observatory (2020) reports that adolescent wives face higher HIV infection rates due to limited negotiation power and poor sexual health awareness. The UNFPA Adolescent Pregnancy Report (2022, p. 4) adds that early marriage restricts girls’ ability to demand condom use.
Comprehensive sexuality education and accessible reproductive health services are crucial to protect their rights and health.
Economic and Long-term Impact
Early marriage limits women’s participation in the labour force and traps families in poverty.
UNICEF’s Global Report: Is an End to Child Marriage Within Reach (2023, p. 6) estimates that ending child marriage would yield billions in global economic gains through higher productivity and reduced health costs.
In Ghana, the UNFPA Economic Cost of Child Marriage Report (2021, p. 15) warns that the practice lowers national GDP by limiting women’s education and employment. Empowering girls is, therefore, both a moral duty and an economic necessity.
Conclusion
Ghana’s child marriage rate has declined from 34 per cent in 1993 to 19 per cent in 2021 (UNICEF Ghana, 2021, p. 1), but the problem remains pressing. Ending child marriage is not only about enforcing laws — it is about protecting lives and securing national development.
The UNFPA–UNICEF Global Programme Country Profile for Ghana (2020, p. 22) calls for three urgent actions: community education, keeping girls in school, and improving access to reproductive health services.
Child marriage is both a health emergency and a human rights violation. As UNICEF’s Ending Child Marriage Report (2020, p. 19) reminds us, every additional year a girl delays marriage increases her education, health, and economic potential.
Protecting girls from early marriage is one of the smartest and most transformative investments Ghana can make for a healthier and more prosperous generation.
The writer is a medical doctor and SRHR advocate.
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