One in five girls worldwide is still married before the age of 18, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF, even as the agency reports that 68 million child marriages have been averted over the past 25 years.

UNICEF disclosed this in its latest report on child marriage, highlighting both the progress made and the urgent need to accelerate efforts to end the practice globally.

According to the agency, the global fight against child marriage has seen significant gains, with the proportion of young women who were married as children dropping from 23 percent to 19 percent in the last decade. The decline, UNICEF said, is largely driven by progress in South Asia and sub Saharan Africa where community awareness and government interventions have improved.

The report shows that South Asia recorded the largest decline, while sub Saharan Africa is now home to the largest number of child brides due to population growth, despite making progress in reducing prevalence.

Despite the progress, the agency warned that the current rate of decline is not fast enough to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of eliminating child marriage by 2030. At the current pace, UNICEF estimates that it will take several decades to end the practice.

UNICEF noted that child marriage remains deeply rooted in gender inequality, poverty and harmful social norms. Girls who marry early are more likely to drop out of school, face early pregnancy, and experience domestic violence, limiting their future opportunities and perpetuating cycles of poverty.

The report also revealed that conflict, climate shocks and economic hardship are increasing the risk of child marriage in vulnerable communities, as families resort to it as a coping mechanism to reduce financial pressure or protect daughters.

In Nigeria and other parts of West and Central Africa, child marriage remains a major concern, with millions of girls affected by early and forced unions despite existing laws against the practice.

UNICEF called on governments, civil society and development partners to scale up investment in girls education, health and protection services, and to enforce laws that prohibit child marriage.

The agency also urged traditional and religious leaders to play a stronger role in ending child marriage by challenging harmful cultural practices and promoting girls rights.

The agency stressed that achieving a future where no girl is forced into marriage will require sustained political will and community engagement to change attitudes and empower girls to reach their full potential.

It added that empowering adolescent girls with information, skills and support systems remains the most effective strategy to prevent child marriage and ensure that the 68 million gains recorded are not reversed.