Bangkok, 25 November 2025 – East Asia and the Pacific is home to an estimated 93 million child brides, accounting for 14 per cent of the global total, according to a new UNICEF analysis released today. Despite earlier gains, progress has stalled, leaving millions of girls at risk of child marriage and its lifelong consequences. Across the region, one in 13 young women aged 20 to 24 were married or in union before turning 18.

“The effects of child marriage on girls are devastating,” said June Kunugi, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific. “When girls marry young, they are more likely to drop out of school, face adolescent pregnancies and experience domestic violence. Too many girls in our region are still denied the chance to learn, to dream and to decide their own future.”

The report shows that child marriage remains concentrated among the poorest, least educated and most marginalized girls. Across the region, girls from the poorest families are eight times more likely to marry before 18 than those from the wealthiest households. Rural residence and low levels of education further heighten the risk. 

Although child marriage is less common in East Asia and the Pacific than in other regions, progress toward elimination has slowed markedly. The region is not on track to meet the global target of ending child marriage by 2030 and would need to accelerate progress significantly to reach that goal.

Prevalence varies sharply across sub-regions. Levels are highest in Oceania, where roughly one in four girls are married before age 18, while levels are considerably lower in Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia. Across the region, most child marriages are formal, but informal unions are common in parts of South-eastern Asia, such as the Philippines and Thailand.

Child marriage among boys remains uncommon but persists, particularly in Oceania, where 4 per cent were married before age 18, slightly above the global average of 3 per cent. In Eastern Asia, the practice is far rarer, affecting less than 1 per cent of young men aged 20–24.

The consequences for girls’ education and health are severe. In East Asia and the Pacific, girls who marry before age 18 are five times more likely to be out of school than those who remain unmarried. More than eight in ten child brides give birth while still in their teens, and almost half become mothers before turning 18, putting both them and their babies at greater risk of health complications and trapping families in cycles of poverty.

UNICEF underscores that ending child marriage in East Asia and the Pacific will require intensified, coordinated efforts that tackle its root causes—gender inequality, poverty and limited access to education and services. The report calls on governments, civil society and communities to keep girls in school through targeted financial and social support; enforce and harmonize minimum-age laws setting 18 as the legal age of marriage for both girls and boys; challenge harmful gender norms that devalue girls and drive early marriage; and empower adolescents to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives.

To help governments and communities address these challenges, UNICEF, together with UNFPA and with support from the Australian Government, is implementing a regional programme, “Hidden in Plain Sight: Ending Child, Early and Forced Marriage in Southeast Asia.” The initiative works across sectors to prevent and respond to child marriage, while promoting girls’ rights, education, and opportunities. 

“Ending child marriage is one of the smartest investments a country can make,” added Ms Kunugi. “When girls stay in school and are empowered to make their own choices, the benefits extend to families, communities and entire societies.” 

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Read the full report here.