Impact of child marriage on adolescents' health and socioeconomic development: an essay on Ethiopian perspective

Early marriage is a worldwide health concern that is prevalent in Southern Asia, South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Early marriage has been associated with numerous adverse outcomes, including an increased risk of unintended pregnancy, poor economic status, discontinuation of education, sexually transmitted infections, higher divorce rates, adverse pregnancy outcomes, maternal and child mortality, and various negative physical and social consequences for young women and their children. Child marriage in Ethiopia is one of the highest in the world. Although the country has shown an overall reduction in the prevalence of child marriage, the problem is still striking and demands the attention of all stakeholders who are working on children and adolescent health and well-being. The most challenging side of early marriage in Ethiopia is that it's linked with a diverse and highly deep-rooted issues such as religion, culture, ethnicity, and other conditions. Examining the customs surrounding child marriage, and involving the society, families, and the young people in the planning, implementation and evaluation of all programs concerning child marriage is critical.