To end child marriage, Tanzania must go beyond changing laws. The government and civil society need to invest in energising initiatives that are aimed at eradicating child marriages from the grassroots to national levels.

Tanzania may have raised the legal age of marriage for girls from 14 to 18 following the 2016 landmark ruling that is hailed as a milestone for gender equality. But the reality on the ground continues to tell a different story.

In many communities, child marriages persist, cutting short girls' education and reinforcing deeply rooted gender inequalities.

Although the law now treats boys and girls equally in terms of the minimum age for marriage, the practice persists largely unchanged. Nationally, 29% of girls marry before the age of 18, compared with just 4% of boys.

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In regions such as Shinyanga and Tabora, child marriage rates among girls remain alarmingly high, reaching up to 59% and 55% respectively. These figures reveal a troubling disconnect between national legislation and local realities faced by boys and girls across Tanzania.

Child marriage, sometimes referred to as early marriage, is a formal or informal union involving a person under the age of 18. This practice remains widespread not just in Tanzania, but across Central and West Africa and South Asia. In Tanzania, gender inequality, tradition, poverty and social expectations continue to fuel early marriages, particularly for girls.

Boys are also subjected to...