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Socio-Demographic Factors Affecting Child Marriage in Sudan

Abdel Aziem A Ali, Ibrahim A Ibrahim, Saeed A Abdelgbar and Mamoun E Elgessim

In this study 1700 ever married women aged ≤ 35 year were approached over six months (1st December 2012 – 30th May 2013) duration to investigate the socio-demographic factors affecting child marriage in eastern, northern and western Sudan. Their mean (SD) age, age at marriage and husband age was 26.8 (1.1), 19.7 (5.3) and 38.1 (12.7) respectively. More than 1 in 5 (45.9%, 781/1700) of the interviewed women reported being married prior to age 18 year. Among the total respondents child marriage was reported in 12.9% (220/1700), 15.1% (257/1700) and 17.9% (304/1700) in Eastern, Northern and Western Sudan respectively. The highest prevalence of child marriage (marriage prior to 18 years) was reported among those of rural residence, having less than secondary education and their families having >5 members of daughters and sons. Child marriage was also more common among women whose parents and husbands have less than secondary education. The result of this study demonstrated that 45.9% of the women in Sudan continuing to be married before 18 years old thus there is critical need for health education, increased family planning use and federal effort to reduce the child marriage with special focus on the rural and less educated communities.