One in three girls in Laos is married before 18, making it one of the highest child marriage rates in the region, UNICEF reports.
Despite laws prohibiting marriage below 18, the practice continues to undermine the rights, education, and health of Lao girls and women.
The Lao Statistics Bureau reported that in 2023, 30.5 percent of young women were married before turning 18. The rate exceeds 50 percent among women with limited access to education, those from disadvantaged ethnolinguistic groups, or the poorest households. UNICEF noted that early marriage often results in lost educational opportunities, restricted economic prospects, and increased health risks from early pregnancies.
Provincial disparities remain sharp.
Huaphanh Province recorded the highest rate of child marriage among women at 46 percent, while Vientiane Capital had the lowest at 13 percent.
Girls in rural areas were reported to be particularly vulnerable, with 36 percent of women aged 20-24 married before 18, compared to 17 percent in urban areas.
Despite some progress, challenges remain. Child marriage among women aged 20-24 declined from 37 percent in 2011 to 30.5 percent in 2023, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), but the rate remains alarmingly high.
Experts noted that early marriage continues to fuel school dropout, poor health outcomes, and intergenerational poverty.
The education system is already showing strain. According to the General Education Department, the number of secondary school students undertaking final examinations in the 2024-2025 academic year declined to 110,922, compared with over 115,500 in the previous academic year, according to its Director, Nuamkham Chanthabuly.
Beyond its human impact, child marriage also carries a heavy economic cost.
UNICEF Laos estimated that ending child marriage could save the country USD 41 million annually by reducing child mortality, school dropout, and stunting.
The World Bank further noted that early marriage also contributes to the under-five mortality rate of 39 per 1,000 live births in 2023 and increases risks of maternal complications, violence, and social isolation for girls.
Recognizing these dangers, policymakers are calling for urgent action.
Speaking at a child and youth rights meeting on 1 September, Khambai Damlat, Vice Chairman of the Assembly’s Standing Committee, stressed the need to end harmful practices, expand education and health care, and invest in young people to secure the nation’s future.