CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Gaza: Amid war, displacement and a severe food crisis, Gaza has recorded a sharp rise in cases of child and forced marriage. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), reported cases of forced and child marriage increased by 123 percent between January and June 2026. The organisation described this as a serious rise in child marriage.
According to the report, the risk of violence against women and girls in Gaza has increased because of hunger, poverty, lack of income opportunities, large-scale displacement and the closure of schools. UNFPA said adolescent girls have become especially vulnerable as social and security systems have weakened.
The report cited a woman as saying that during famine-like conditions last year, a man married off his 14-year-old daughter in exchange for two sacks of flour so he could arrange food for himself and his other children. Six women interviewed in different displacement camps also reported incidents in which girls were married off in exchange for food or other necessities.
The UNFPA report also found that girls who have lost their parents are at greater risk. In some cases, family members arranged their marriages at a young age in the name of reducing economic responsibility or ensuring the girl’s safety. According to the organisation, such circumstances are also increasing adolescent pregnancies and childbirth-related health risks.
The report also recorded an increase in cases of sexual violence. UNFPA said the actual number could be higher, as many cases go unreported because of social pressure, fear of stigma and limited access to support services. The organisation stressed the need for greater humanitarian assistance for the protection of women and girls, health services and support centres.
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