The Lasting Impact of Child Marriage: Stories from Bangladesh, Zambia, and Ecuador

Editorial note: this story is part of a series on gender inequality and reveals the real consequences of child marriages through the personal lives of three girls from different countries.

Since childhood, 17-year-old Rehana dreamed of supporting her family. The only child of parents from Bangladesh who struggle to survive daily, she recalls: “I don’t have a brother who will look after my parents?” She longed for responsibility, but at 14 her path crossed with an influential community member who proposed marriage.

“I didn’t understand how to marry… I loved studying. I kept studying,” recalls Rehana.

Rehana, a pseudonym, is among about 38 million girls in her country and 650 million girls worldwide who have married or formed a union before 18. Below is her story.

Plan International’s 2025 State of the World’s Girls report shows how such relationships leave girls vulnerable throughout their lives. The study included 15 countries with high rates of child marriage in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It found that many of these marriages remain almost out of reach of governmental authorities even where laws exist, and the needs of young brides are often overlooked.

Surveyed more than 250 girls who were married before 18 (now aged 15–24) and more than 240 activists against child marriages. Many of them are under the control of older partners, face violence and have no access to education or employment. Many became mothers early and have minimal autonomy in life, including reproductive decisions.

“Girls marry in childhood for many different reasons, and then, where possible, they choose to leave it. This underscores what we have been saying for years: child marriage does not offer a better path for girls.”

The stories of three girls from Bangladesh, Zambia and Ecuador – married or entering informal unions at ages 14, 16 and 15 respectively – reveal how this practice shapes their futures.

Rehana: Marriage at 14 and the path to independence

Rehana says her marriage came suddenly, and her education became less of a priority. She endured control and psychological pressure, but over time she finished school and started a small jewelry-making business.

“My mother became my support in difficult times,” recalls Rehana. The divorce that followed later allowed her to step out from under constant supervision, and now she is building a new path.

Diana: love, dangerous for the future

Diana from Zambia recounts how her relationship with an older husband led to pregnancy and an informal union. She left school and found herself in a difficult situation, but eventually she returned home, finished school, and plans to pursue further study.

“Life became hard – he drank, forced me to perform household duties and demeaned me,” says Diana. She found support in her family and continued on her path to education.

“I was a child. I didn’t understand much about life.”

Jen: Between an informal union and a dream of education

In Ecuador Jen met Yan at 13; they moved in together, and society saw this as an informal union. Her parents wanted to protect her, but Jen insisted on schooling and continuing her education, despite home duties.

Over time Jen had a child, returned to education with her mother’s support, and dreamed of further study. “Mom was very supportive,” she says.

“I was a child, not knowing much about life.”

According to UNICEF, every year about 12 million girls worldwide marry before 18, including informal unions, with the most acute situation in sub-Saharan Africa. Progress exists, but many girls still face violence, being forced to leave school, and limited opportunities.

“Laws alone are not enough. Without their enforcement, accountability, and broader social change, child marriage continues to exist in practice.”

Experts emphasize: real change requires not only laws, but their enforcement, economic support for families, and changes in social norms that allow girls to stay in school and make their own choices about their futures.