Weak Enforcement Leaves Millions Of African Girls Vulnerable To Child Marriage, FGM Despite Legal Bans: Report
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Millions of girls across Africa remain at risk of child marriage and female genital mutilation despite legal bans in most countries, with weak enforcement and legal loopholes undermining protection, a new report has warned.
The report by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, supported by Equality Now, found that harmful practices remain deeply entrenched across the continent even as governments strengthen legal frameworks.
Drawing on case studies from 10 countries including Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan and Zimbabwe, the report said climate shocks, armed conflict and economic instability are worsening the drivers of child marriage and FGM, particularly in rural and conflict-hit regions.
“Lack of implementation is not a failure of law alone. It is a failure of the ecosystem that should make the law protect children,” said Sally Ncube, Equality Now’s regional representative for Southern Africa.
The report noted that fewer than half of African countries set the minimum legal age of marriage at 18 without exceptions, allowing loopholes through parental consent, judicial approval, or customary and religious laws.
It also found that four African countries with national prevalence data on FGM still lack specific legislation banning the practice.
Researchers said climate-related crises are intensifying the problem by increasing poverty, disrupting schooling and weakening child protection systems. In some regions of Ethiopia, drought has reportedly doubled child marriage rates, while in Somalia and Djibouti girls are undergoing FGM at younger ages due to economic pressures linked to climate stress.
The report highlighted gaps in enforcement even where laws exist. In Sudan, for instance, FGM was criminalised in 2020, but conflict and governance breakdown have limited implementation. In Nigeria, laws against child marriage and FGM are weakened by inconsistent enforcement and conflicting local legal systems.
The committee called on African governments to close legal loopholes, strengthen enforcement, improve child protection systems and invest in survivor support services.
It also urged countries to align customary and religious laws with child rights standards and improve data systems to better track and respond to harmful practices.
The report was launched during the 47th Ordinary Session of the committee in Maseru, Lesotho.
