Ending Child Marriage in Nepal

Highlights

Nepal has made remarkable progress in reducing child marriage over the past three decades. According to the Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (NMICS) 2024-25, the proportion of young women aged 20-24 who were married before the age of 18 has declined to 28 per cent, down from nearly 40 per cent a decade ago and more than 50 per cent in the early 1990s. The survey also shows that more girls are staying in school, fewer are marrying before the age of 15, and the median age at marriage continues to rise. However, progress remains uneven. Reductions in child marriage have been greatest among wealthier households, while rates among girls from the poorest households have changed little, highlighting persistent inequalities and the need for accelerated action to achieve SDG Target 5.3 by 2030.