For many families uprooted by the war in Sudan, survival has become the immediate priority. But the crisis is also fuelling a quieter emergency: a rise in child marriage among refugees and vulnerable host communities in neighbouring South Sudan.

According to UNFPA, growing economic hardship, insecurity and uncertainty are pushing some families to marry off their daughters at increasingly young ages, often as a way to reduce financial pressure or seek perceived protection. The consequences can be lifelong, cutting short girls’ education, increasing the risk of early pregnancy and exposing them to violence and poor health outcomes.

The agency highlights the story of Betty, who became a wife and mother at just 14 after fleeing Sudan. Her experience reflects a wider reality facing many adolescent girls in displacement settings, where opportunities are scarce and traditional coping mechanisms can deepen vulnerability.

South Sudan already has one of the world’s highest rates of child marriage, with an estimated 210,900 girls married before the age of 15. UNFPA warns that the arrival of refugees from Sudan’s conflict, combined with existing poverty and limited services, is placing additional strain on communities and increasing the risk that more girls will be forced into early marriage.

Working with local partners, UNFPA is supporting protection services, reproductive health care, education initiatives and community outreach programmes aimed at helping girls remain in school and giving families alternatives to child marriage. The agency says protecting girls requires not only humanitarian assistance, but also sustained investment in education, livelihoods and gender equality.