More than 800 women in Rwanda were legally married before turning 21 in 2025, highlighting a notable trend in early marriage despite the country’s legal framework.
According to the latest civil registration report released by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) on April 15, 2026, a total of 50,256 marriages were recorded in 2025, down from 52,878 in 2024.
The data shows that most women who got married were under the age of 25, while men typically married at older ages, largely above 30.
In total, 848 women married before the age of 21, compared to only 73 men in the same age group. Among those aged 21 to 24, women accounted for 17,761 marriages, significantly higher than the 7,117 men in that bracket.
In contrast, men dominated marriage registrations in older age groups. Between ages 30 and 34, 13,068 men got married compared to 7,598 women, a pattern that continues in higher age categories.
The report also indicates that the average age at marriage in 2025 was 28 for women and 32 for men.
Rwanda’s law governing persons and family, adopted in 2024, sets the legal minimum age for marriage at 21. However, individuals aged between 18 and 20 may marry under exceptional circumstances, subject to approval by a district civil registrar.
Common justifications for such approvals include existing informal cohabitation, pregnancy, or cases where individuals seek to formalize family arrangements.
