Child Marriage Crisis in Karnali Province Highlighted

The state of child marriage in Karnali Province has been found to be dire, with 37.9 percent of girls marrying before the age of 18, higher than the national average. The National Human Rights Commission reported that the rate of adolescent pregnancy in Karnali is also high, with 21 percent of pregnant women under 20. The commission concludes that poverty in Karnali contributes to early marriage, violating reproductive health, physical autonomy, and the right to education of adolescent girls.