The Economic Toll of the Underage Marriage Market — An interview with Quentin Wodon

Child marriage exacts a heavy toll, not only on girls and their families, but also on their countries, says Quentin Wodon, a lead economist at the World Bank.

“Child marriage has major negative implications for the rights of girls to safety and security, to basic health, to going to school and to be able to make their own decisions in life,” Wodon says. As for consequences to the country, early “marriage has major negative impacts for poverty reduction and for economic growth.”

Voice of America reporters around the world focused on the worth of a girl to reveal how a young bride is valued by two families: the one she leaves behind and the one she joins. Explore the full project https://projects.voanews.com/child-marriage/