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🇨🇩 DR Congo /Health & Science

Nearly 48% of girls in Kasaï-Oriental married before 18

From Radio Okapi · () French

Translated from French and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Nearly 48% of girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Kasaï-Oriental province marry before age 18, according to provincial Health Minister Daniel Kazadi.
  • Kazadi made the disclosure while launching the Bomoyi ya Maman na Muana project.
  • He linked early marriage and pregnancy to disrupted schooling, compromised futures and increased risks of maternal complications and death.

Nearly one in two girls in Kasaï-Oriental marry before reaching adulthood, according to provincial Health Minister Daniel Kazadi. He presented the figure during the launch of the Bomoyi ya Maman na Muana project, using it to underline the scale of a practice that threatens adolescent girls' futures.

Kazadi said early marriage often brings early pregnancy with it. He warned that such pregnancies carry high risks of complications and maternal death, making the issue more than a social concern.

"One girl in two risks having her childhood cut short, her schooling compromised and her future affected," Kazadi said. He described early marriage as a public-health, education and rights-protection issue, as well as a development challenge.

The minister said efforts to reduce maternal mortality must include action against early marriage and early pregnancy.

One girl in two risks having her childhood cut short, her schooling compromised and her future affected.

· Daniel KazadiThe provincial health minister described the consequences of early marriage for girls in Kasaï-Oriental.
About this summary

Originally published by Radio Okapi in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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