Child marriage: Kenya must protect girls from harmful practices

By  Francis Orieny

Subeditor, Gender

Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

• Tana River records Kenya’s highest rate of girls married before 18, exposing the urgent need for stronger enforcement. 
• Parents, police, schools, courts and leaders must work together to protect girls from child marriage and its lifelong consequences.

Kenya can end child marriage if it strengthens the enforcement of laws and regulations in communities where the harmful practice remains deeply rooted. Despite years of advocacy, legislation and public awareness campaigns, thousands of girls continue to be married before they reach adulthood, denying them their rights and limiting their prospects.

The practice remains particularly prevalent in some pastoral communities, including Kajiado and Tana River. National statistics show that 18 per cent of girls in Kajiado are married before the age of 18, while 4.5 per cent are married before 15. The situation is even more worrying in Tana River, which records the country’s highest prevalence, with 43 per cent of girls married before 18. Although the scale varies from one county to another, none of these figures is acceptable.

Child marriage is not merely a cultural or family matter. It is a violation of children’s rights with far-reaching consequences. Girls who are married early are more likely to drop out of school, become pregnant while still children, experience domestic violence and remain trapped in poverty. They are also deprived of opportunities to develop their talents, pursue careers and participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives and communities.

International Day of the Girl Child

This Sunday, the world will mark the International Day of the Girl Child under a call to end child marriage and invest in girls’ rights. The occasion reminds us of the need for Kenya to confront the gap between its laws and what happens in communities. Our cover story this week highlights the continuing threat posed by child marriage and the urgent need for action.

Parents and guardians must understand that marrying off a daughter before she turns 18 is neither an acceptable solution to poverty nor a legitimate way of preserving culture. Economic hardship cannot justify sacrificing a child’s future. While families may depend on bride wealth or view marriage as a means of easing financial pressure, a child should never be used as a bargaining tool to resolve adult problems.

The argument that child marriage is a cultural tradition must also be challenged. Culture is not static. And harmful practices cannot be protected simply because they have been observed for generations. Traditions that violate children’s rights must give way to practices that protect their dignity, safety and opportunities.

All hands on deck

However, responsibility does not rest with parents alone. The government must ensure that existing laws are enforced consistently, particularly in areas where child marriage is prevalent. Police officers, chiefs and other national government administrators, teachers, school heads, children’s officers, health workers, prosecutors and courts all have a role to play in identifying cases, protecting victims and holding perpetrators to account.

Where parents, guardians or other adults facilitate child marriage, law enforcement agencies must investigate and prosecute them. Courts must deal with such cases promptly and impose appropriate penalties where guilt is established. At the same time, girls at risk must be offered safe alternatives, including access to education, shelter, counselling, healthcare and economic support for vulnerable families.

Schools are especially important in this fight. Teachers and administrators are often among the first people to notice when a girl is at risk of being withdrawn from school for marriage. They must be empowered to report suspected cases and work with authorities to protect affected children. County governments, legislators, community leaders and civil society must also intensify public education and challenge beliefs that normalise child marriage. Religious and traditional leaders can play a particularly influential role by speaking openly against the practice.

Beyond law enforcement

Ending child marriage will require more than laws. It will require political will, community vigilance and consistent enforcement. Every girl has the right to grow up safely, remain in school, make decisions about her future and participate fully in society.

Therefore, Kenya must move beyond condemnation and take decisive action. Protecting girls is not an act of charity; it is a legal and moral obligation for every member of society. The country cannot realise its long-term development roadmap, through Vision 2030 and any other post-2030 blueprint, while allowing girls to be married off and their futures sacrificed. The time to act is now. Let’s protect our girls, uphold their rights, and give them a brighter future.