This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from Kenya statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from Kenyan statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other Kenyan-specific metadata information.
| Goal |
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls] |
|---|---|
| Target |
Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation] |
| Indicator |
Proportion of women aged 20–24 years who were married or in a union before age 15 and before age 18 |
| Metadata update |
2022 |
| Related indicators |
Not applicable |
| Organisation |
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics] |
| Contact person(s) |
Senior Manager, Population Statistics Division |
| Contact organisation unit |
Population Statistics Division |
| Contact person function |
Collect, compile, analyze and disseminate statistics on governance peace and security, gender, education and health. |
| Contact phone |
+254735004401, +254202911000, +254202911001 |
| Contact mail |
30266-00100 NAIROBI |
| Contact email | |
| Definition and concepts |
Definition: Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 15 and before age 18. Concepts: Both formal (i.e., marriages) and informal unions are covered under this indicator. Informal unions are generally defined as those in which a couple lives together for some time, intends to have a lasting relationship, but for which there has been no formal civil or religious ceremony (i.e., cohabitation). |
| Unit of measure |
Percent (%) |
| Data source type and collection method |
The indicator captures all formal and informal cohabiting unions. For comparability, age 18 is used as a standard across countries as the common age of majority, though the threshold age between childhood and adulthood varies across countries, as does the legal age at marriage. |
| Data sources |
Household surveys such as KDHS have been collecting data on this indicator from 1998 to 2022] |
| Data collection method |
The2014 and 2022 KDHS collected information on proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 15 and 18 years |
| Data collection calendar |
Every 5 years] |
| Data release calendar |
2022 |
| Data providers |
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics] |
| Data compilers |
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics |
| Institutional mandate |
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS KNBS is established under the Statistics Act, 2006 as the principal agency of the Government for collecting, analyzing and disseminating statistical data in Kenya and as the custodian of official statistical information.] |
| Rationale |
Marriage before the age of 18 is a fundamental violation of human rights. Child marriage often compromises a girl’s development by resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation, interrupting her schooling, limiting her opportunities for career and vocational advancement and placing her at increased risk of intimate partner violence. In many cultures, girls reaching puberty are expected to assume gender roles associated with womanhood. These include entering a union and becoming a mother. The practice of early/child marriage is a direct manifestation of gender inequality. The issue of child marriage is addressed in a number of international conventions and agreements. Although marriage is not mentioned directly in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, child marriage is linked to other rights – such as the right to freedom of expression, the right to protection from all forms of abuse, and the right to be protected from harmful traditional practices. |
| Method of computation |
Number of women aged 20-24 who were first married or in union before age 15 (or before age 18) divided by the total number of women aged 20-24 in the population multiplied by 100. |
| Quality management |
KNBS developed a quality assurance framework (KeSQAF), to record and reference the full range of quality concepts, dimensions, and practices. These include; Relevance, accuracy, reliability, timeliness, punctuality, accessibility, clarity, coherence, consistency, methodological soundness, and integrity.] |
| Quality assurance |
The KNBS adheres to Kenya Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (KesQAF) that underlines principles to be assured in managing the statistical production processes and output. Data consistency and quality checks are conducted through Technical Working Groups (TWGs) before publication and dissemination. |
| Quality assessment |
The KNBS adheres to Kenya Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (KesQAF) that underlines principles to be assured in managing the statistical production processes and output. Data consistency and quality checks are conducted through Technical Working Groups (TWGs) before publication and dissemination. |
| Comparability/deviation from international standards |
The estimates compiled and presented at global level come directly from nationally produced data and are not adjusted or recalculated.] |
| References and Documentation |
https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/female-genital-mutilation/ |
| Metadata last updated | Aug 28, 2025 |