The legal age of marriage in Ethiopia is 18 years for both girls and boys, but these laws are not always enforced. However, according to UNICEFs 2017 estimate, 40% of girls are married before the age of 18. 7. Such marriages generally occur among the more economically impoverished communities.

What is the original definition of marriage?

1300, mariage, action of entering into wedlock; also state or condition of being husband and wife, matrimony, wedlock; also a union of a man and woman for life by marriage, a particular matrimonial union; from Old French mariage marriage; dowry (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *maritaticum (11c.), from Latin maritatus

How do Ethiopians get married?

The wedding ceremony starts with dances and music and the brides parents give the groom a dowry, in most case money and cattle. At the end of the ceremony the groom takes his bride to his parents house. The groom takes the brides virginity during the first three days after the marriage.

What is the aim of marriage?

The main legal function of marriage is to ensure the rights of the partners with respect to each other and to ensure the rights and define the relationships of children within a community.