Lost lives, billions: the cost of child marriage in Africa
16 year old 'Jacinta Adhiambo' fetches water for her home consumption at village in Seme, Kisumu County, on June, 2015. She got married at 12 years and has so far been been married three times. FILE PHOTO | ANGELA OKETCH | NMG
Child marriage is costing African countries at least $60 billion in lost lifetime earnings, more than what the world gives the continent in aid each year, the World Bank said on Wednesday.
Be it high school dropout rates, teen pregnancy or poor health outcomes, the cost of child marriage is far from just monetary, the Bank said in its report.
