Mali has the 5th highest prevalence of female child marriages globally.
[1] The practice of bride kidnapping is a historic tradition in Mali.
The act which involves a would-be groom abducting a girl or woman to make her his bride is still present in some sections of southern Mali, with cases of school girls being kidnapped at least as recently as 2015.
Prevalence is highest in rural areas with low literacy and high rates of poverty, in particular the south-western part of the country which is Muslim dominated.
The regions of the country with the highest rates of child marriage are Kayes, Sikasso and Mopti.