Child marriage in South Sudan

Child marriage in South Sudan is driven by socioeconomic factors such as poverty and gender inequality.

[2] Current figures state that South Sudan is one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to child marriage.

[3][4] Child marriage has negative consequences for children, including health problems and lower education rates for South Sudanese girls.

[3] Globally, some of the most influential drivers of child marriage are the gender gap between males and females and social structure.

[2] Early marriage originated from rural society, where socioeconomic lifestyles such as cattle keeping, farming, and hunting dictated gender roles that young women could easily fill.

The groom pays dowry to the girl's family, and acceptable forms of payment include cattle, money(cash).

[11] Families also marry their children off at a young age to ensure their daughters have protection and security increasing their chances of survival.

[14] Traditional child marriage practices in South Sudan have been driven by gender and societal norms.

[15] Families also decide how and when these marriages occur, as in these traditional societies it is often the case that the elders know the norms and expectations for the best.

Young girls are often married off to reduce financial stress for families, and for the chance at gaining a profit such as a dowry.

[11] The South Sudanese Civil War which has continued on since 2013 has led to instability throughout the nation, which has fueled poverty and forced migration.

The financial instability drives marriage bargains where families can profit from marrying off their daughters instead of educating them.

[9] Child marriages that result in pregnancy in South Sudan contributed to the high maternal mortality rate in the country.

[9] Girls drop out of school at a very high percentage compared to their male counterparts because it is believed that traditional marriage is better than obtaining an education.