thesis statement on child marriage

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Rev Obstet Gynecol
• v.2(1); Winter 2009

Child Marriage: A Silent Health and Human Rights Issue

Marriages in which a child under the age of 18 years is involved occur worldwide, but are mainly seen in South Asia, Africa, and Latin America. A human rights violation, child marriage directly impacts girls’ education, health, psychologic well-being, and the health of their offspring. It increases the risk for depression, sexually transmitted infection, cervical cancer, malaria, obstetric fistulas, and maternal mortality. Their offspring are at an increased risk for premature birth and, subsequently, neonatal or infant death. The tradition, driven by poverty, is perpetuated to ensure girls’ financial futures and to reinforce social ties. One of the most effective methods of reducing child marriage and its health consequences is mandating that girls stay in school.

Child marriage, defined as marriage of a child under 18 years of age, is a silent and yet widespread practice. Today, over 60 million marriages include girls under the age of 18 years: approximately 31 million in South Asia, 14 million in sub-Saharan Africa, and 6.6 million in Latin America and the Caribbean ( Figure 1 ). Each day, 25,000 girls are married and an anticipated 100 million girls will be married in 2012. 1 Over 60% of girls are married under the age of 18 in some sub-Saharan countries and Bangladesh, and 40% to 60% of girls undergo child marriage in India ( Figure 2 ).

Number of women aged 20–24 who were married or in union before age 18, by region (2006). CEE/CIS, Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Reproduced with permission from United Nations Children’s Fund. Progress for Children: A World Fit for Children Statistical Review. New York: UNICEF; 2007. http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/Progress_for_Children_No_6_revised.pdf .

Percentage of women aged 20–24 who were married or in union before age 18 (1987–2006). Reproduced with permission from United Nations Children’s Fund. Progress for Children: A World Fit for Children Statistical Review. New York: UNICEF; 2007. http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/Progress_for_Children_No_6_revised.pdf .

Child marriage has been referred to as early marriage or child brides , but these terms are not optimal. Early marriage does not imply that children are involved, and the term is vague because an early marriage for one society may be considered late by another. The term child brides glorifies the tradition by portraying an image of joy and celebration. Most of these marriages are arranged by parents, and girls rarely meet their future husband before the wedding. The girls know that after the wedding they will move to their husband’s household, become the responsibility of their in-laws, and might not see their own family or friends for some time.

Although child marriage includes boys, most children married under the age of 18 years are girls. In Mali, the ratio of married girls to boys is 72:1; in Kenya, it is 21:1; in Indonesia, it is 7.5:1; in Brazil, it is 6:1; and even in the United States, the ratio is 8:1. 2 – 4

Human and Children’s Rights

The United Nations and other international agencies have declared that child marriage violates human rights and children’s rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that individuals must enter marriage freely with full consent and must be at full age. In 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women stated that child marriage is illegal. In 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child defined children as persons under the age of 18 years. Many countries passed laws changing the legal age of marriage to 18 years, but enforcement of these laws, and of laws requiring marriages to be registered, is weak. 5 For example, although the legal age of marriage is 18 years, in Mali 65% of girls are married at a younger age; in Mozambique, it is 57%; and in India, it is 50% ( Figure 3 ). In some parts of Ethiopia, although the legal age of marriage is 15 years, 50% of younger girls are married, and in Mali, 39% of younger girls are married. Furthermore, in some regions, an arranged marriage occurs at birth. 6

(A) Percentage of girls (aged 15–19 years) who are currently married. (B) Percentage of women aged 20 to 24 years married before age 18. Reproduced with permission from Mathur S, Greene M, Malhotra A. Too Young to Wed: The Lives, Rights, and Health of Young Married Girls. Washington, DC: International Center for Research on Women; 2003. http://www.icrw.org/docs/tooyoungtowed_1003.pdf .

Factors Driving Child Marriage

Three main forces drive child marriages: poverty, the need to reinforce social ties, and the belief that it offers protection. Child marriage is predominantly seen in areas of poverty. Parents are faced with 2 economic incentives: to ensure their daughter’s financial security and to reduce the economic burden daughters place on the family.

Child marriage is first and foremost a product of sheer economic need. Girls are costly to feed, clothe, and educate, and they eventually leave the household. Marriage brings a dowry to the bride’s family. The younger the girl, the higher the dowry, and the sooner the economic burden of raising the girl is lifted.

By marrying their daughter to a “good” family, parents also establish social ties between tribes or clans and improve their social status. Parents also believe that marrying their daughters young protects them from rape, premarital sexual activity, unintended pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections, especially human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS. 5

Health Consequences of Child Marriage

Isolation and depression.

Once married, girls are taken to their husband’s household, where they assume the role of wife, domestic worker, and, eventually, mother. These new homes can be in a different village or town. Because of the high dowry paid, husbands are usually much older than the girls (and thus have little in common with them) and their new brides are expected to reproduce. Polygamy may also be acceptable in some of these regions. As a result, the girls feel rejected, isolated, and depressed. Some girls realize that survival requires embracing their new environment and proving their fertility. They lose their childhood and miss the opportunity to play, develop friendships, and be educated.

Risk of Sexually Transmitted Infection and Cervical Cancer

Parents believe that marrying their daughters early protects them from HIV/AIDS. Research has shown the opposite: marriage by the age of 20 years is a risk factor for HIV infection in girls. 7 In Kenya, married girls are 50% more likely than unmarried girls to become infected with HIV. In Zambia, the risk is even higher (59%). And in Uganda, the HIV prevalence rate of married girls and single girls between the ages of 15 and 19 years is 89% and 66%, respectively. Their husbands infected these girls. Because the girls try to prove their fertility, they had high-frequency, unprotected intercourse with their husbands. Their older husbands had prior sexual partners or were polygamous. In addition, the girls’ virginal status and physical immaturity increase the risk of HIV transmission secondary to hymenal, vaginal, or cervical lacerations. 5 Other sexually transmitted infections, such as herpes simplex virus type 2, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, are also more frequently transmitted and enhance the girls’ vulnerability to HIV. Research demonstrates that child marriage also increases the risk of human papillomavirus transmission and cervical cancer. 8

Risks During Pregnancy

Pregnant girls in malaria regions were found to be at higher risk for infection. Of the 10.5 million girls and women who become infected with malaria, 50% die. Their highest risk is during their first pregnancy. Pregnancy not only increases the risk of acquiring malaria, but pregnant girls under the age of 19 have a significantly higher malaria density than pregnant women over the age of 19. 9 They are also at significant risk of malaria-related complications such as severe anemia, pulmonary edema, and hypoglycemia.

Rates of HIV and malaria coinfection are highest in Central African Republic, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where more than 90% of the population is exposed to malaria and more than 10% are HIV positive. Having both diseases complicates the management and treatment of each. HIV-infected patients have a higher likelihood of getting a more severe form of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum . They are less likely to respond as well to antimalaria medication. Malaria increases HIV viral load and increases the mother-to-child HIV transmission rate. Data demonstrate that the combination of these diseases proves deadly to the young pregnant mother. 10

Risks During Labor and Delivery

Deliveries from child marriages are “too soon, too close, too many, or too late.” 11 Forty-five percent of girls in Mali, 42% in Uganda, and 25% in Ethiopia have given birth by the age of 18. In Western nations, the rates are 1% in Germany, 2% in France, and 10% in the United States ( Figure 4 ). Girls between the ages of 10 and 14 years are 5 to 7 times more likely to die in childbirth; girls between the ages of 15 and 19 years are twice as likely. 12 High death rates are secondary to eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, HIV infection, malaria, and obstructed labor. Girls aged 10 to 15 years have small pelvises and are not ready for childbearing. Their risk for obstetric fistula is 88%. 13

Percentage of women, aged 20 to 24 years, married and giving birth by age 18. Reproduced with permission from Mathur S, Greene M, Malhotra A. Too Young to Wed: The Lives, Rights, and Health of Young Married Girls. Washington, DC: International Center for Research on Women; 2003. http://www.icrw.org/docs/tooyoungtowed_1003.pdf .

Risks for Infants

Mothers under the age of 18 have a 35% to 55% higher risk of delivering a preterm or low-birthweight infant than mothers older than 19 years. The infant mortality rate is 60% higher when the mother is under the age of 18 years. Data demonstrate that even after surviving the first year, children younger than 5 years had a 28% higher mortality rate in the young mothers cohort. 14 This morbidity and mortality is due to the young mothers’ poor nutrition, physical and emotional immaturity, lack of access to social and reproductive services, and higher risk for infectious diseases.

Disheartening as this information may be, there is encouraging news. Data show that in countries where poverty has decreased, such as Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, the incidence of child marriage has also declined.

Media attention raises awareness of the issue and can prompt change. After a highly publicized story in 2008, in which a 10-year-old Yemeni girl fled her husband 2 months after being married and successfully obtained a divorce, Yemen increased the legal age for marriage from 15 to 18 years. More importantly, numerous children, inspired by this case, have sued for divorce. 15

Research has long enforced the importance of education for girls and their families. Child marriage truncates girls’ childhood, stops their education, and impacts their health and the health of their infants. Governmental and nongovernmental policies aimed at educating the community, raising awareness, engaging local and religious leaders, involving parents, and empowering girls through education and employment can help stop child marriage. Programs that have shown success are those that give families financial incentives to keep their daughters in school, those that feed children during school hours so parents do not have to bear that responsibility, and those that promise employment once girls have completed their schooling. 1 Education not only delays marriage, pregnancy, and childbearing, but school-based sex education can be effective in changing the awareness, attitudes, and practices leading to risky sexual behavior in marriage.

Main Points

• Over 60 million marriages include a girl under the age of 18 years.
• The main forces that drive child marriage are poverty, the need to reinforce social ties, and the belief that marriage at an early age protects girls from rape, unintended pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infection.
• Marriage before the age of 18 increases the rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in girls.
• High death rates during pregnancy are secondary to eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, HIV infections, and obstructed labor. The infant mortality rate is 60% higher when the mother is under the age of 18 years.
• Education not only delays marriage, pregnancy, and childbearing, but school-based sex education can be effective in changing the awareness, attitudes, and practices leading to risky sexual behavior in marriage.

• Open access
• Published: 10 February 2024

Socio-ecological factors of girl child marriage: a meta-synthesis of qualitative research

• Asma Pourtaheri 1 , 2 ,
• Mehrsadat Mahdizadeh 2 , 4 ,
• Hadi Tehrani 2 , 4 ,
• Jamshid Jamali 3 , 4 &
• Nooshin Peyman 2 , 4  

BMC Public Health volume  24 , Article number:  428 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

1676 Accesses

1 Altmetric

Metrics details

Child marriage of girls is one example of human rights violations, and is increasingly recognized as a key obstacle to global public health. Given the importance of a comprehensive understanding of the motivations for child marriage, this study aimed to identify socio-ecological factors contributing to gills child marriage.

A comprehensive search was conducted of all English-language studies measuring causes of child marriage between 2000 and October 2022 in the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, ProQuest, Poplin and Google Scholar databases. Girl child marriage is defined as a marriage under the age of 18. In this study, the CASP evaluation checklist was used to collect data. Two independent reviewers reviewed all articles.

A total of 34 eligible qualitative articles were included. The most salient causes of child marriage among girls include low skills and knowledge, internal and external beliefs and motivations, and physical advantages at the individual level. Family characteristics and structure contribute to child marriage at the interpersonal level, while environmental and economic factors play a role at the community level. Social factors and cultural norms, as well as the shortcomings and weaknesses of legislation, are also contributing factors at the society level.

The results showed that cultural beliefs supporting gender inequality and economic status were the most important causes of child marriage. These results can help policymakers and decision-makers implement strategies to reduce gender inequality to prevent child marriage.

Peer Review reports

Girl child marriage (GCM) is defined by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) as a marriage that occurs before the age of 18 [ 1 ]. UNICEF reports that the rate of GCM worldwide has decreased in recent years [ 2 ]. Yet globally, nearly 15 million girls under the age of 18 are married each year [ 3 ]. Today, approximately 750 million women are married as children, and this number will remain unchanged until at least 2030 if progress is not accelerated [ 4 ]. This phenomenon is widely visible. The phenomenon of GCM can be seen across a wide range of contexts. About 37% of global GCM occurs in sub-Saharan Africa, 30% in South Asia, and 25% in Latin America [ 5 ]. This practice also occurs in certain European countries [ 6 , 7 , 8 ].

Early marriage (EM) is not only a violation of children's fundamental rights, but also detrimental to women's health and public health. It has raised growing concern about its potential impact on population health [ 9 , 10 ]. Studies show that girls who marry under the age of 18 have less control over their fertility [ 4 , 11 ], limited access to contraception [ 12 , 13 ], a higher likelihood of unintentional pregnancy , and an increased risk of birth complications that can result in death [ 14 , 15 ]. They also suffer from other related health problems, such as domestic violence [ 16 , 17 ], sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) [ 18 , 19 ], and psychological problems [ 20 , 21 ].

Although the international community and governments are becoming more aware of the harmful effects of GCM, efforts to eradicate it are still limited [ 22 , 23 ]. This issue challenges the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) [ 24 ]. GCM is a multidimensional problem and is synergistically affected by several factors, and its solution requires a holistic perspective [ 25 ]. UNICEF also emphasizes that the causes of GCM cannot be examined from only one perspective, and strategies should be developed - in addition to key drivers - with regard to social and political factors, communities, families and girls [ 26 ]. The Socio-ecological Model (SEM) is a multi-level approach that is used to better understand systemic effects in health-related issues and identify intervention points. This model is able to identify the driving factors of GCM at the individual, interpersonal, social and community levels [ 27 ]. Determining the determinants of GCM at different levels facilitates the design of programs and preventive interventions and reduces the burden of EM and its damage.

Quantitative evidence shows that poverty status, low educational attainment, rural living, and religion are associated with CM [ 28 ]. Some studies have investigated the factors that contribute to CM. The systematic review by Kohno examined 12 studies (2008-2018) exploring the causes of CM. He identified six key factors in CM, including human insecurity and conflict, legal issues, family values and circumstances, religious beliefs, personal circumstances, beliefs and knowledge, and social norms [ 29 ]. Research conducted by Pienar Duro (2005-2020) identified the occurrence of early and forced marriages and concluded that cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and cultural factors contribute to these marriages [ 30 ]. In a systematic review, Feyissa (2023) investigated the efficacy of interventions aimed at reducing child marriage (CM) and teenage pregnancy. There are five categories of interventions, including: (a) creating educational assets, (b) developing life skills and health assets, (c) building wealth, and (d) fostering community dialogue. They emphasized that systematically implemented scholarship and community dialogue interventions are consistently effective in various settings [ 31 ].

Although the aforementioned studies have provided valuable information about the driving factors of CM and the process leading to it, it appears that by incorporating a broader range of studies conducted in this field and identifying the various driving factors contributing to CM, the existing gaps in previous research can be addressed. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of analyzing and interpreting social-ecological factors influencing GCM over a 22-year period (2000-2022). This was done using a meta-synthesis approach and a conceptual framework. Identifying the underlying factors that contribute to GCM at various levels is crucial for designing effective programs and preventive interventions. This approach helps alleviate the negative consequences of EM and reduces its overall impact. This study answers the main question, what are the key factors behind GCM at the individual, interpersonal, community, and society levels derived from the findings of previous studies?

Design of study

This qualitative review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines [ 32 ]. We used the Enhancing Transparency in the Qualitative Research Synthesis Report: (ENTREQ) Statement to prepare the paper [ 33 ]. The present study is registered in the PROSPERO system with the code CRD42022377071.The meta-synthesis technique was used to address the following research questions. The meta-synthesis technique was used to address the following research questions.

What are the individual factors contributing to GCM?

What are the interpersonal factors contributing to GCM?

What are the community factors contributing to GCM?

What are the society factors contributing to GCM?

Information sources and search strategy

We used a pre-planned search strategy and retrieved all studies published in English between January 2000 and October 2022 in seven electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, ProQuest, and Poplin. We retrieved studies from 2000 to 2022. While traditions are fading and technology has solved many health-related problems, the phenomenon of child marriage still persists.

Haddaway suggested that the first 200-300 records of Google Scholar are useful for finding gray literature. Therefore, we also included the first 300 records of Google Scholar [ 34 ]. Search terms contain medical topics (MeSH), free words and selected keywords. We searched for all qualitative articles on CM using keywords. These keywords included;

"child marriage", "early marriage", "spouse child", "teen* marriage", "adolescent marriage", "child bride", "forced marriage", "interview", "focus group*", (group* and focus),"case stud*" observ*, view*, understand*, beli, feel*, custom*, percep*, "sensory process*", (processing and sensory), opinion*, attitude*, sentiment* ,(research and qualitative), qualitative

Two authors performed the search independently. Endnote software was used for data management and MAXQDA software was used for meta-analysis.

Selection process inclusion and exclusion criteria

The purpose of this study is to determine the causes of GCM. Therefore, any qualitative research examining the reasons behind a phenomenon, including ethnographic research, grounded theory, and content analysis, is included in this review. All observational studies, mixed methods, reports, systematic reviews, trends, and studies reporting on the causes of CM among boys were excluded from the study. More details are shown in Table S 1 .

Identification and selection of studies

We removed duplicate articles. Then, the titles and abstracts of the remaining studies were screened. The following is a comprehensive review of the study's full text in order to fulfill the study's objectives. The requirement for including articles was a 100% agreement between the two researchers. If there were a disagreement during the study review, a third reviewer would resolve the issue.

Risk of bias assessment

The quality of selected studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) for qualitative research. The checklist consists of 10 questions and is comprehensive, easy to understand, and widely used, making it a valuable tool [ 32 ]. The first two questions are used for screening purposes, inquiring about the study's objectives and the suitability of the method for achieving those objectives. If the answer to both questions is yes, the remaining eight research evaluation questions are asked. These questions include aspects such as study design, recruitment strategy, data collection, the relationship between the researcher and participants, ethics, accuracy of data analysis, clear reporting of results, and their implications. Two researchers (AP, MM) independently read, reread and evaluated the papers.

Data extraction

Two researchers (AP, MM) independently extracted the data in accordance with the study's objectives. In addition to discovering the causes of GCM, detailed information from the articles was extracted. This included the author, year of publication, country, participants, sample size, research design, data collection methods, objective, and theme/main concept. Any disagreements between the authors regarding study eligibility were resolved through consultation with the third author.

The current study followed Thomas and Harden's (2008) approach to synthesizing qualitative research findings [ 35 ]. Thematic synthesis was chosen as the qualitative evidence synthesis method because of its usefulness in providing information about [ 36 ]. The meta-synthesis began by reading each article multiple times and reflecting on the data in an attempt to answer the research question of the study. All text under the headings '  Results ' or 'Findings' electronically extracted and entered using MAXQDA computer software. We performed data synthesis in three steps. Steps 1 and 2 involved coding the text and developing descriptive themes or sub-themes. The results of the study were extracted and summarized based on the research questions. As suggested by Thomas and Harden (2008), in order to avoid imposing an a priori framework on the findings implied by the research question, these were set aside [ 35 ]. Thus, the process evolved from the study's results to a thematic analysis. These texts were entered into MAXQDA software, and each member of the research team independently coded each line of text based on its meaning and context. Most of them used more than one code for classification. The composition process began simultaneously. We identified similarities and differences among the codes and organized them into a structured format. New codes were created to capture the meaning of the original code groups. In the third stage, the analysis topics or themes are created. In this step, the descriptive themes that emerged from the deductive analysis of the research findings were used to address the research question that had been temporarily postponed. This process resulted in a structure of twenty-two subthemes. The synthesis process of individual factors is shown in Fig.  1 . 

The process of synthesis of findings

The initial search of the database resulted in 3,826 articles. After removing duplicates, titles and abstracts, and full text screening, 34 articles were included in this meta-analysis in checking the reference lists of included studies, no other studies were found (Fig.  2 ).

PRISMA flow chart diagram describing selection of studies for Meta-synthesis on cause of child marriage

A total of 34 studies were identified in the current review. In total, 14 of the included articles had been conducted in the Middle East [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 ], 9 in Africa [ 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ], 8 in South Asia [ 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 ], 2 in Europe [ 8 , 67 ],1 in the United States [ 68 ], and 1 each in Ethiopia and India [ 69 ]. The number of participants ranged from 8 to 300 people. Approximately 900 people participated in the study Table 1 .

All studies that answered affirmatively to the first two questions of the CASP assessment checklist were included. No studies were excluded based on the CASP score. We discussed the results of the quality assessment in regular meetings, resolved our differences, and reached an agreement on 34 studies. In most studies, the study design ( n = 33), recruitment strategy ( n = 31), data collection methods ( n = 29), ethical issues ( n = 27), data analysis ( n = 23), clear findings ( n = 32), and valuable results ( n = 31) were explained. In only 8 studies, the relationship between the researcher and the participants was adequately considered Tables S 3 , S 4 .

Thematic synthesis

We categorized the socioecological factors of GCM into four levels: The synthesis and contribution of each study are shown in Table 2 . Three themes at the individual level (low skills and knowledge, internal and external motivations, physical advantages), one theme at the interpersonal level (family characteristics and structure), one theme at the community level (environmental and economic factors), and two theme at the society level (social and cultural factors, deficiencies/weaknesses of legislation). More details were shown in Table 3 and Fig.  3 .

Causes of GCM and proposed strategy to eliminate gender based on Socio- ecological Model

The most salient individual factors of GCM include low skills and knowledge, internal and external thoughts and motivations, and Physical characteristics.

Theme 1: low skill and knowledge

Little knowledge of the negative consequences of marriage and pregnancy.

Most of the participants did not have enough information about the consequences of marriage, pregnancy and childbirth. They admitted that they had no idea what to expect when they entered into marriage. They were unprepared and unaware of their new responsibilities as wives and mothers, including housework and taking care of family members [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 42 , 44 , 51 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 68 ]. “I was really concerned about pregnancy and childbirth." If I had known that marrying early would lead to such physical and mental problems and ruin my life, I would never have gotten married” [ 44 ]. Society appears to be indifferent to girls' lack of knowledge about marriage and pregnancy. In Morocco, discussions about sexuality are considered social taboos that people, especially young individuals, tend to avoid [ 51 ]. One of the informants said, “We do not discuss these matters because of the social stigma. Many boys and girls do not receive comprehensive sex education” [ 51 ]. In Iran, there is insufficient media coverage [ 44 ] and a lack of counseling and decision-making services for girls [ 39 ].

Little knowledge of individual rights

Girls are not aware of marriage laws and sexual rights. Sometimes, the law is disregarded due to a profound lack of awareness among girls and women regarding their rights [ 51 ]. One of the informants said, "In rural areas, many child marriages go unreported in the Ministry of Justice's statistics." These marriages take the form of a simple ‘Fatiha' (declaration), remain unregistered, and transform girls into married women without their awareness [ 51 ].

Lack of life skills

A lack of independence in decision-making, caused by deficiencies in life skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, negotiation, and critical thinking, expose girls to EM. Some girls felt that they were unable to make informed decisions about marriage due to their inability to anticipate the potential outcomes of their choices. Hence, they accepted the decisions made by their parents [ 37 , 39 , 41 , 45 , 48 , 55 , 62 , 63 ].“I am not mature enough to judge people's thoughts and behavior. I didn't feel good about getting married because I didn't know my fiancée very well. So I left everything completely to my family” [ 39 ].

Theme 2: internal and external motivations

Religious beliefs.

James highlighted the inflexible beliefs that prevail in rural society in northern Nigeria. Influenced by these beliefs, teenagers supported the idea of early marriage. One of the girls said, “I support teenage marriage and having children. It's not a problem. Marriage is a source of pride for women, and it is expected for every Muslim and Christian girl to get married.” Adolescent boys also viewed marriage as a means to fulfill God's commandments and to follow Western traditions [ 50 ]. Girls in the Muslim community of Malaysia also believed that fate decreed that they should marry at a young age. Marriage is an inevitable decree of God that must be obeyed [ 64 ].

Fulfillment of needs and desires

Adolescents are in a crisis during their teenage years. Neglecting them and their needs can lead to engaging in risky behaviors and EM [ 70 ]. Gaining independence and freedom, seeking significance, the desire to form relationships with the opposite sex, and the longing for a life partner are some of the factors that motivate girls to marry at a young age [ 71 , 72 ]. In addition, in Muslim countries, the sexual needs of girls can only be fulfilled through marriage and within the framework of religious and customary [ 73 ]. In the Kurdish regions of Iran, cultural and social beliefs contribute to a more favorable perception of young brides and greater support for them. As a result, they often receive larger dowries. “In our region, when we are younger, there is often more emphasis on dowry, but I did not want to get married at all” [ 44 ]. In Morocco, many girls aspire to marry someone residing in Europe. They have idealized images of a wonderful life abroad in their impressionable minds. “The marriage market acquired on a dimension, element, as many women aspire to marry marrying a Moroccan residing living Europe” [ 51 ]. Marriage may not always be in the best interest of a girl, but it can be a strategic choice for her, given the current situation.

Dropping out of school

In rural and impoverished areas, families cannot afford the direct costs of education such as tuition and books, as well as the indirect costs of transportation or accommodation at distant middle schools. Additionally, they were uncertain about future career prospects. In this case, the girls voluntarily dropped out of school to help with household chores [ 37 , 47 , 52 , 57 ]. Also, the negative attitude towards girls' education, preservation of cultural values [ 37 , 44 , 55 , 65 ], lack of interest in education [ 52 , 56 , 57 ], poor academic performance [ 55 ], war and displacement [ 40 ] have reduced the educational opportunities for girls and have provided grounds for EM . One of the Syrian refugees said, “We used to enjoy studying and getting married, but now we are affected by the Syrian war”. The situation has changed [ 40 ].

Escape from the hardships of life

The participants used marriage as an avoidance coping strategy to escape the difficulties of life. In most cases, poverty was seen as an integral part of challenging living conditions. Syrian refugees in Lebanon described their dire financial situation, living in small tents, in unsanitary and insecure conditions as difficult and exhausting. In order to escape these conditions, they resorted to marrying off their young girls [ 40 ]. In Somalia, environmental degradation and frequent particularly especially in rural along with and war, result in make girls becoming girls victims of early and forced marriages. One of the girls said, “Perhaps when I marry a wealthy older man, I will continue my education, as all my needs such as educational materials, school fees, and travel expenses will be covered by him” [ 43 ].

Preferences and value system

The characteristics of suitors, such as their occupation, social status, and personal background, were factors influencing the children's choice of spouse. They believe that suitable marriage opportunities should not be missed [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 45 , 52 , 59 , 63 , 66 , 67 ]. Girls also welcomed the opportunity to marry a good suitor. “I feel very fortunate to have such a good, intelligent, and caring person in my life. I believe that girls should marry at a younger age, provided it's a suitable match “ [ 38 ].

Risky health behavior

Some of the girls in this study indicated that they had been involved in high-risk activities during their teenage years, such as drinking and using drugs with their peers [ 64 ]. Through a network of friends, they found a partner with whom they had sexual intercourse and became pregnant. In order to conceal shame and scandal, the family compelled the girl to enter into an immediate marriage in accordance with Sharia standards [ 8 , 45 , 52 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 67 , 68 ]. “We engaged in sexual activity before marriage, even though it was wrong. "Then I found out I was pregnant while I was working [ 64 ].”

Theme 3: physical characteristics

Being beautiful and attractive.

Young and attractive girls were more attractive to men [ 37 , 44 , 57 , 59 ]. The desire of men to marry young and beautiful girls has created a fear within families that if their daughters grow up, no one will want to marry them, which would bring shame to the family [ 61 , 69 ], Some boys deceive and have sex with them. “I'm a pretty girl, and a lot of guys were attracted to me”. I learned that if I don't get married, I might end up in a situation involving sex outside of marriage [ 39 ].

Mental maturity

Maturity is a sign of readiness for marriage. Some girls believed they were more sensible than their peers, so they agreed to get married [ 39 , 67 , 69 ]. “Marriage was very important to my family. My mother told me that I am no longer a little girl after getting married. I will become more mentally mature than before. I have more plans for the future” [ 39 ].

Physical maturity

Parental illiteracy and adherence to cultural norms expose girls to EM. According to religious and cultural standards, girls who have reached a certain age, started menstruating and developing breasts, are eligible for marriage. One of the girls said, “People think that when a girl grows up physically, she is ready to marry” [ 39 ].

The characteristics and structure of the family are the most important interpersonal factors that provide the foundation for GCM.

Theme 4: family characteristics and structure

Ineffective parenting.

Ineffective parenting jeopardizes the bond between parents and children. Sometimes this relationship is influenced by parental concerns. Families concerned about their child engaging in premarital sex may consent to the marriage of their daughters at a young age [ 8 , 46 , 49 , 54 , 66 ]. Sometimes, the parent-child relationship is influenced by the parents' irresponsibility [ 50 , 59 , 61 ], incompatibility [ 48 ], and ignorance of the child's interests [ 55 ]. In Ineffective families, children may have to compete with each other for their parents' attention or affection, which can also influence their decisions about marriage. One of the girls said, “Our family was not warm and strong. We lacked affection with my sister so much that we fell in love with cartoon characters. We wanted to marry and live with them” [ 48 ].

Vulnerable family

A family atmosphere is an important factor in shaping children's attitudes towards marriage. The family provides a safe haven for the children, where they can grow surrounded by the love and attention of their parents. In families that lack stability, children may experience harmful effects such as CM, behavioral issues, emotional disturbances, and moral abnormalities. If children lose the support of their parents due to reasons such as the death of their parents, divorce, addiction, or violence, they may prefer to marry at a young age, or their parents may consent to their marriage due to behavioral indecisiveness. said one of the girls [ 48 , 49 ]. One of the girls said, "I was thinking, 'God, can I get married one day and be free from this family?" [ 48 ].

Extended and traditional family

Extended and traditional families usually have a large population [ 44 , 52 ]. The decision-making frameworks in these families are made by social norms and values, and all the decision-making processes are assigned to men [ 44 , 45 , 48 , 51 , 59 ]. In these families, the father's relatives can decide on the marriage of daughters as much as the father [ 41 , 51 ]. “My father did not ask me if I want to get married or not. (My father decided on my marriage)” [ 48 ].

Community factors related to GCM included environmental and economic aspects.

Theme 5: environmental and economic factors

The economic situation.

Most of the participants cited the challenging economic situation and poverty as reasons for marrying at a young age. Poverty, financial burden, lack of family support, inability to meet basic needs, challenging living conditions [ 39 , 42 , 45 , 47 , 52 , 54 , 56 , 57 , 59 , 61 , 63 , 64 , 65 ], poverty resulting from climate change [ 43 ], and lack of employment opportunities [ 51 ] are all factors that contribute to EM. Some of them were not passive victims of their life circumstances, but actively trying to solve the problems in their lives. They decided to get married. “If I get married, I will feel like a bird leaving the prison. I will transform into a butterfly that soars toward freedom and happiness. "I will also assist my mother because she will have one less child to worry about” [ 67 ].

Pressure reference patterns

Most of the participants considered GCM as normal. In these communities, neighbors, community elders, relatives and religious leaders encouraged parents to marry off their daughters at a young age. Here, girls had no choice but to accept marriage [ 42 , 45 , 66 , 69 ]. In Morocco, [ 74 ] and South Sudan [ 45 ] grandfathers and grandmothers play a decisive role in arranging marriages for girls. Not accepting their offer is considered disrespectful. The media is often described as a “double-edged sword”. On one hand, it can help reduce CM by raising awareness about its harmful consequences [ 75 ]. On the other hand, it can also contribute to an increase in CM by portraying stimulating images and promoting sexual activity [ 65 ].

One of the men said, “I think that if a girl is approved by her parents and my parents for marriage, it means that she is ready for marriage. We do not measure a woman's readiness for marriage solely by her age, but rather by her capacity to bear children and effectively manage her family. "I will not marry a woman who is not approved by my parents and relatives” [ 45 ].

Socio-cultural factors and the shortcomings and weaknesses of legislation were the most prominent factors facilitating GCM within society.

Theme 6: socio-cultural factors

Cultural beliefs of society.

Most of the participants mentioned the beliefs that underlie CM. Some of these beliefs had religious roots, such as the preservation of reputation [ 59 ], while others had cultural origins, such as maintaining similarity with relatives [ 68 ]. In traditional societies, women's sexual purity is especially important, parents fear that their daughter will be involved in an emotional or sexual love. If their son or daughter is involved in an emotional or sexual relationship, a sinful act has been committed [ 41 , 44 , 65 ] and it is a shame for the family [ 38 , 40 , 43 , 44 , 47 , 50 , 59 , 66 ], Even for the informed family, these types of activities are against social norms, and the family must face negative social sanctions [ 66 ]. In some cases, families consent to the marriage of girls out of fear of magic [ 59 ]. Despite all the worries about girls, they are a suitable tool for consolidating family relations [ 39 , 41 , 44 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 53 , 61 , 65 ], peace between tribes [ 43 ], blood lust [ 44 ] exchange for money [ 56 ], Exchange with cattle [ 55 ], and preservation of family property [ 47 , 59 ]. “Pronatalism” is a salient social norm that encourages early marriage in Sudan. Men prefer younger women because they are perceived as more fertile [ 41 ]. It is believed that young girls have more sexual and reproductive power [ 59 ] and are better compatible with their wives [ 38 ], so the men looks for a young bride. “My husband used to be my boyfriend. When my family found out about this, they said that this relationship should be formalized. Then my husband proposed to me while we were both under 18 years old” [ 44 ].

Security threat

Any factor that jeopardizes the safety of girls can contribute to the prevalence of GCM. Syrian refugees in Lebanon have identified feelings of insecurity and vulnerability to verbal or physical harassment while staying in unfamiliar and unsafe areas as one of the reasons for early marriage. Fear of insecurity is the primary factor. They marry early because of "Al Sutra" (the protection of the woman's honor or reputation). We are at war. Many women fear rape, and if a married woman is raped, her husband is more likely to forgive her. However, if a single woman is raped, it can devastate her life [ 40 ]. In some area, young girls are harassed by single young men or threatened with violence, such as rape, kidnapping, or acid attacks, when they reject marriage proposals. The family can address these threats and uphold its prestige by arranging marriages for their daughters [ 59 ].

Theme7: shortcomings/weaknesses of legislation

Weakness of legal rules.

The results showed that despite having legal knowledge and supportive laws and policies, harmful social norms overshadow them and have the potential to perpetuate CM. In some Muslim countries, such as Somalia [ 43 ], Bangladesh [ 76 ], and Iran [ 46 ], where the official laws are based on Sharia law, this legal system does not hinder GCM. According to their customs, girls are considered eligible for marriage after reaching puberty. In Somalia, where a triple judicial system exists, consisting of sharia, customary, and formal laws, the legislator does not possess the authority to intervene in the choice to marry through a traditional ceremony, as this is deemed acceptable under traditional laws [ 43 ]. In Morocco, where sex outside of marriage is illegal, the law effectively condones the crime [ 51 ], and in Malaysia, the "legitimate heir" law legitimizes CM. For example, if you are a legitimate heir, a valid marriage grants your children access to the family inheritance [ 63 ].

Poor performance guarantee

Participants pointed out legal loopholes, such as the mixed efficacy of laws in Ethiopia, as an example. Legal restrictions sometimes serve as a reason to prevent or delay early marriage, and in some cases, punishments related to legal violations have been recognized as deterrents from seeking legal help to delay marriage [ 69 ]. In Iran, there are no robust laws to prevent CM, and there is inadequate oversight of their enforcement. Civil organizations are also not sufficiently robust to support girls who do not wish to marry in childhood. said one of the girls: “In Iran, a large number of underage marriages occur every day, and there is little to no public outcry against it “ [ 44 ].

Criminalization

In some jurisdictions, sexual relations between unmarried individuals are considered illegal, and those who engage in such acts may face legal consequences [ 51 , 63 ]. Most families, when faced with these circumstances (sexual relations between a girl and a boy), agree to the marriage of young girls [ 64 ]. Also, when judges are allowed to consider the best interests of children in marriage, it can also result in CM [ 51 ]. “When I was young, I engaged in premarital sex. So, we had to get married” [ 63 ].

GCM is a public health problem and one of the most evident instances of human rights violations. Every year, a large number of girls are victims of CM. GCM is the result of the interaction of many factors and occurs across countries, cultures, ethnicities, and religions. Globally, an increasing number of countries are acknowledging the detrimental effects of CM and are collaborating to strengthen laws against this practice. However, this practice persists due to complex underlying factors. The SEM is a useful tool for understanding the complexity and the relationships between factors associated with GCM. Using SEM, we identified seven main themes and 22 subthemes across four levels: individual, interpersonal, community, and society factors. We found that cultural traditions and beliefs have an important influence at all levels and are major factors in the prevalence of child marriage. The themes of “low skill and knowledge “, “internal and external motivations“, “physical characteristics”,” family characteristics and structure”,” environmental and economic factors”, ”socio-cultural factors”,” shortcomings/weaknesses of legislation” are emphasized in our findings.

The results showed that individual factors such as limited knowledge, internal and external motivations, and physical characteristics that predispose girls to EM are influenced by social norms and cultural traditions. The perceived status of women and girls in culture and society affects all aspects of their lives [ 44 ]. After birth, girls are often perceived as a burden to the family, while boys are seen as an asset [ 45 , 59 ]. As a result, investing in or educating a girl child is often considered a waste of money because she is expected to eventually move to another man's house [ 50 ]. Girls' education is undervalued, and there is a focus on enhancing educational opportunities for boys [ 41 ]. Under the influence of cultural beliefs. Girls are not permitted to leave the village environment because doing so can result in the erosion and rejection of societal values. In fact, the prioritization of removing girls from school is aimed at preserving cultural values and family honor, regardless of the ability to pay for education [ 8 , 37 , 44 , 51 , 56 ]. By demonstrating the connection between education and CM, promoting girls' education is considered a strategy to reduce CM. India has seen a 38% decrease in CM over the last decade [ 77 ]. The geographical disparities in the prevalence of CM in Ethiopia are attributed to the expansion of girls' education [ 78 ]. The level of education reflects a person's maturity in terms of their ability to comprehend and respond to the environment and the knowledge available to them, making it easier for people to embrace and choose positive change [ 79 ]. Uneducated women are less actively involved in various activities that promote knowledge, such as reading materials, accessing service advertisements, and engaging in peer discussions. This lack of engagement makes them less aware of the detrimental effects of EM [ 80 , 81 ]. Belief in fate [ 63 ], missing out on educational opportunities [ 40 ], overcoming life's challenges [ 44 ], and achieving prosperity and a better future [ 67 ] are also influenced by the cultural traditions associated with girls. The physical characteristics that result from biological processes are used to justify the marriage of girls within the cultural and religious framework [ 38 , 39 ].

Family characteristics and structure were identified as the most prominent interpersonal factor. This is where it plays an important role in the formation of marriage rituals and family structure, allowing social and cultural norms to be preserved and passed down to the next generation. In some societies, social, economic, and livelihood issues are still influenced by traditional gender roles. In this context, men are expected to take on the responsibility of economic development and ensuring livelihood security, while women are expected to work at home, give birth, and take care of children. In fact, these discriminatory attitudes toward girls, which begin immediately after birth, are even more prevalent among impoverished families [ 45 ]. Most of the participants portrayed women as oppressed and marginalized by the traditional and religious patriarchal system at the family level. At times, this system dominates the family to such an extent that women feel like strangers to it and fail to comprehend it. The socio-cultural patriarchal context in Afghanistan has convinced women that violence against them by their male counterparts is acceptable and a form of love [ 17 ]. In many Muslim countries, premarital sex is culturally, religiously, and legally prohibited. Parents are concerned about their daughters engaging in emotional or sexual relationships, so they prefer them to marry at a young age [ 46 , 63 ]. They believe that after marriage, they are no longer responsible for their daughter [ 44 , 59 , 66 ] . Encouraging girls to marry early when they are orphaned or have no competent parents to take care of them is also a way to control them and prevent them from engaging in sexual activity [ 59 ].

Environmental and economic factors were identified as the most important social factors related to GCM. Although in societies with low socio-economic status such as Bangladesh [ 82 ], India [ 83 ], Ghana [ 84 ], Ethiopia [ 85 ] GCM is considered an economic strategy to reduce the financial burden of parents, the powerful role of social norms should not be ignored. One concern among Syrian refugees in Lebanon is that exposure to Lebanese social norms, which seem to be more liberal than Syrian norms, may lead some parents to arrange early marriages for their daughters [ 40 ]. In northern Nigeria, in addition to the poor economic situation, pronatalist attitudes and opposition to foreign influences (or Western influence) reflect the strength of social and cultural norms and reproductive laws that support GCM. Poverty appears to have a synergistic effect on social norms and GCM decisions.

Socio-cultural factors and deficiencies/weaknesses of the law were introduced as factors related to GCM at the society level. It is worth considering that despite the wide geographic scope of CM, common cultural beliefs are prevalent among different regions. Maybe Swidler's theory (1986) can help us understand this phenomenon. Swidler defines culture as a toolbox of actions available to people, consisting of cultural collections such as worldviews, symbols, and stories. According to this approach, people do not necessarily act based on their values. Instead, they choose an appropriate action from the available options and then adapt their values to align with that action. The religious worldview appears to be the mechanism by which values are shaped, leading to the acceptance of the practice of CM [ 86 ].

This worldview has influenced the adoption of legal approaches in countries. Some countries have adopted the age of 18 for marriage, while others have set a lower age limit. In some cases, customary laws dictate the marriage age of girls, and the law has ceased to act as a deterrent [ 43 ]. In some regions, girls are permitted to marry at a young age with the consent of their parents or judicial authorities [ 46 ]. This has resulted in approximately 100 million girls around the world being denied the protection of national law, with the majority of them in the Middle East and North Africa [ 87 ]. Undoubtedly, when the law clearly specifies the minimum age for marriage, preventing CM is more achievable, but not necessarily less common. In societies where CM is viewed as a culturally acceptable way to safeguard girls from premarital sex and its potential consequences (such as unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases), implementing, and monitoring the law becomes more challenging. It is essential to strike a balance between cultural and religious laws and norms to ensure that women's and girls' rights are protected while upholding moral values.

This study has several limitations. Firstly, we only included articles written in English, which means we may have overlooked articles written in other languages. Second, we attempted to access all of the articles, but we had to exclude the ones for which we did not have full text access. Third, the majority of the articles included in the synthesis are focused on Asia and Africa. We found few studies from Europe and the Americas, so we were unable to definitively address the causes of GCM in these regions.

The results show that cultural beliefs and economic status are the most important factors influencing GCM. The results confirm that marriage is a social construct influenced by values. These values have been respected since ancient times and are still upheld by society and families. In some of these values, traces of gender attitudes can be observed. Beliefs are so powerful that they serve as the foundation for the establishment of laws and have a greater impact on parents' decision-making than economic factors [ 41 ]. In countries like Malaysia [ 88 ] and Indonesia [ 89 ] gender-based cultural norms are still influenced by religious and traditional beliefs, leading to a high prevalence of CM, despite economic development and high levels of education. All individual, interpersonal, community, and society factors influenced by these traditions appear to contribute to GCM. These traditions, in the context of modernity, can pose a significant challenge in attaining sustainable development goals. However, solving this problem requires special skills and precision. Our findings showed that the use of the SEM is a powerful tool in uncovering the underlying factors contributing to CM in various contexts. This model can assist policy makers and decision makers in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the causes of CM and in developing targeted strategies that address the specific needs of the affected population and community. The development of gender equality as a strategy seems to be effective in preventing GCM. These strategies include developing equal educational opportunities, empowering and enhancing girls' skills at an individual level, establishing a comprehensive network of care and counseling services for girls, strengthening parent-child relationships, promoting positive peer norms and fostering healthy relationships at an interpersonal level, advocating for social changes that support the interests of girls and women, and improving the economic situation in community level. Promoting gender equality national and international laws at the social level, play a crucial role in safeguarding the rights of girls.

Availability of data and materials

All data related to this study are reported in this document.

Abbreviations

United Nations Children's Fund

Girl Child Marriage/ Child Marriage

Early Marriage

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Socio-Ecological Mode

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Critical Appraisal Skills Program

Medical Subject Headings

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Enhancing Transparency in the Qualitative Research Synthesis Report

UNICEF/UNFPA. Key drivers of the changing prevalence of child marriage in three countries in three countries in South Asia, Working paper 2018. 2018.

Google Scholar  

UNICEF. Child marriage around the world: Infographic 2019. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/stories/child-marriage-around-world . 2019.

Antarini A, Rhadiyah P, Permata T, Marcely R, Montovani D. Adolescent’s Self-Efficacy for Early Marriage in South Bangka Regency, Indonesia. Int J Public Health Sci. 2016;5(4):427–32.

Adedokun O, Adeyemi O, Dauda C. Child marriage and maternal health risks among young mothers in Gombi, Adamawa State, Nigeria: implications for mortality, entitlements and freedoms. Afr Health Sci. 2016;16(4):986–99.

Article   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

UNICEF. Child Marriage around the World.Available online: https://www.unicef.org/stories/child-marriage-around-world . 2020.

Hotchkiss DR, Godha D, Gage AJ, Cappa C. Risk factors associated with the practice of child marriage among Roma girls in Serbia. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2016;16:1–10.

Article   Google Scholar  

Yüksel F, Koçtürk N. Investigation of factors associated with the child marriage in Turkey. J Child Sex Abuse. 2021;30(6):653–66.

Aleksandrova M. Roma women’s views on factors influencing the process of child marriage. 2019.

UNICEF. Ending Child Marriage: Progress and Prospects. New York; 2014. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/media/files/Child_Marriage_Report_7_17_LR.pdf . 2014.

UNICEF. Child Marriage. 2021 [cited 2020 Jul 30]. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/protection/childmarriage . 2021.

Efevbera Y, Bhabha J, Farmer PE, Fink G. Girl child marriage as a risk factor for early childhood development and stunting. Soc Sci Med. 2017;185:91–101.

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Steinhaus M, Hinson L, Rizzo AT, Gregowski A. Measuring social norms related to child marriage among adult decision-makers of young girls in Phalombe and Thyolo Malawi. J Adolesc Health. 2019;64(4):S37–44.

Islam MM, Khan MN, Rahman MM. Factors affecting child marriage and contraceptive use among Rohingya girls in refugee camps. Lancet Reg Health-Western Pac. 2021;12:100175.

Nasrullah M, Zakar R, Krämer A. Effect of child marriage on use of maternal health care services in Pakistan. Obstet Gynecol. 2013;122(3):517–24.

Koski A, Heymann J. Child marriage in the United States: How common is the practice, and which children are at greatest risk? Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2018;50(2):59–65.

Kidman R. Child marriage and intimate partner violence: a comparative study of 34 countries. Int J Epidemiol. 2017;46(2):662–75.

PubMed   Google Scholar  

Qamar M, Harris MA, Tustin JL. The association between child marriage and domestic violence in Afghanistan. J Interpers Viol. 2022;37(5–6):2948–61.

Mahato SK. Causes and consequences of child marriage: a perspective. Int J Sci Eng Res. 2016;7(7):697–702.

Irani M, Latifnejad Roudsari R. Reproductive and sexual health consequences of child marriage: a review of literature. J Midwifery Reprod Health. 2019;7(1):1491–7.

John NA, Kapungu C, Sebany M, Tadesse S. Do gender-based pathways influence mental health? Examining the linkages between early child marriage, intimate partner violence, and psychological well-being among young Ethiopian women (18–24 years old). Youth & Society. 2023;55(6):1155-72.

Burgess RA, Jeffery M, Odero SA, Rose-Clarke K, Devakumar D. Overlooked and unaddressed: a narrative review of mental health consequences of child marriages. PLOS Global Public Health. 2022;2(1):e0000131.

Polat O, Reva Z. Legal dimension of child marriages in Turkey: Compared with the Eastern Europe and Middle East countries. Int J Research-Granthaalayah. 2019;7(4):338–54.

Siddiqi M, Greene ME. Mapping the field of child marriage: Evidence, gaps, and future directions from a large-scale systematic scoping review, 2000–2019. J Adolesc Health. 2022;70(3):S9–16.

UNDP. Sustainable Development Goals.from available https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals .

UNICEF. Child marriage,from available https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/2020 .

UNICEF. Accelerate Actions to End Child Marriage and Early Unions in Latin America and the Caribbean. From available https://www.unicef.org/lac/media/2371/file/PDF . 2018.

Hon. Betty Amongi Ongom MMA ADK. The national strategy to end child marriage and teenage pregnancy. 2022.

Subramanee SD, Agho K, Lakshmi J, Huda MN, Joshi R, Akombi-Inyang B. Child marriage in South Asia: a systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(22):15138.

Kohno A, Techasrivichien T, Suguimoto SP, Dahlui M, Nik Farid ND, Nakayama T. Investigation of the key factors that influence the girls to enter into child marriage: a meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence. PloS One. 2020;15(7):e0235959.

Article   CAS   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Duru P, Başaran F, Örsal Ö. Reflections of the before processes in early and forced marriages: A meta-synthesis study. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2022;58(4):3034-43.

Feyissa GT, Tolu LB, Soboka M, Ezeh A. Effectiveness of interventions to reduce child marriage and teen pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of quantitative evidence. Frontiers in Reprod Health. 2023;5:1105390.

Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, Group P. Reprint—preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Phys Ther. 2009;89(9):873–80.

Tong A, Flemming K, McInnes E, Oliver S, Craig J. Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research: ENTREQ. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2012;12(1):1–8.

Haddaway NR, Collins AM, Coughlin D, Kirk S. The role of Google Scholar in evidence reviews and its applicability to grey literature searching. PloS One. 2015;10(9):e0138237.

Thomas J, Harden A. Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2008;8(1):1–10.

Barnett-Page E, Thomas J. Methods for the synthesis of qualitative research: a critical review. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2009;9(1):1–11.

Matlabi H, Rasouli A, Behtash HH, Dastjerd AF, Khazemi B. Factors responsible for early and forced marriage in Iran. Sci J Public Health. 2013;1(5):227–9.

Nasrullah M, Zakar R, Zakar MZ, Abbas S, Safdar R, Shaukat M, Krämer A. Knowledge and attitude towards child marriage practice among women married as children-a qualitative study in urban slums of Lahore, Pakistan. BMC Public Health. 2014;14(1):1148.

Montazeri S, Gharacheh M, Mohammadi N, Alaghband Rad J, Eftekhar Ardabili H. Determinants of Early Marriage from Married Girls' Perspectives in Iranian Setting: A Qualitative Study. J Environ Public Health. 2016;2016.

Mourtada R, Schlecht J, Dejong J. A qualitative study exploring child marriage practices among Syrian conflict-affected populations in Lebanon. Conflict Health. 2017;11.

Dean L, Obasi A, El Sony A, Fadul S, El Hassan H, Thomson R, Tolhurst R. "He is suitable for her, of course he is our relative": a qualitative exploration of the drivers and implications of child marriage in Gezira State, Sudan. BMJ Global Health. 2019;4(3):e001264.

Mangeli M, Rayyani M, Cheraghi MA, Tirgari B. Factors that encourage early marriage and motherhood from the perspective of Iranian adolescent mothers: a qualitative study. World Fam Med. 2017;15(8):67–74.

Judy N, Akinyi M. Al-Shabaab and Forced Marriage in Somalia: Beliefs, Practices and Interventions. Int J Res Scholarly Commun. 2019;2(1):71-83.

Lebni J, Solhi M, Azar FF, Farahani F. Qualitative study of social determinants of child marriage in Kurdish regions of Iran: Evidence for health promotion interventions. J Educ Health Promot. 2020;9(1):242.

Madut KK. Determinants of Early Marriage and Construction of Gender Roles in South Sudan. SAGE Open. 2020;10(2):2158244020922974.

Mirzaee Z, Maarefvand M, Mousavi MT, Pourzand N, Hossienzadeh S, Khubchandani J. Stakeholders’ perspectives on girls’ early marriage in Maneh and Samalqan, Iran. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2021;122.

Mrayan L, Obeisat S. The Lived Experience of Early Marriage in Jordan: The Perspective of Adolescent Girls and Young Women. SAGE Open. 2021;11(3):21582440211048895.

Maghsoudi S, Ghanadzade M. Qualitative Study Exploring the Experience of Child Marriage among Divorcees in Kerman City. J Soc Probl Iran. 2022;13(1):271–91.

Bozorgi-Saran S, Khodabakhshi-Koolaee A. Child bride, a story that never ends: A look at experiences of Iranian women. International Social Work. 2023;66(5):1497-512.

James G. Socio-cultural context of adolescents’ motivation for marriage and childbearing in North-Western Nigeria: a qualitative approach. Curr Res J Soc Sci. 2010;2(5):269–75.

Sabbe A, Oulami H, Zekraoui W, Hikmat H, Temmerman M, Leye E. Determinants of child and forced marriage in Morocco: stakeholder perspectives on health, policies and human rights. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2013;13(1):43.

Stark L. Poverty, Consent, and Choice in Early Marriage: Ethnographic Perspectives from Urban Tanzania. Marriage Fam Rev. 2018;54(6):565–81.

Cislaghi B, Mackie G, Nkwi P, Shakya H. Social norms and child marriage in Cameroon: an application of the theory of normative spectrum. Global Public Health. 2019;14(10):1479–94.

Elnakib S, Hussein SA, Hafez S, Elsallab M, Hunersen K, Metzler J, Robinson WC. Drivers and consequences of child marriage in a context of protracted displacement: a qualitative study among Syrian refugees in Egypt. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):674.

Neema S, Muhumuza C, Nakigudde R, Uldbjerg CS, Tagoola FM, Muhwezi E. “Trading daughters for livestock”: An ethnographic study of facilitators of child marriage in Lira district, Northern Uganda. Afr J Reprod Health. 2021;25(3):83–93.

Schaffnit SB, Urassa M, Wamoyi J, Dardoumpa M, Lawson DW. “I have never seen something like that”: Discrepancies between lived experiences and the global health concept of child marriage in northern Tanzania. PloS one. 2021;16(4):e0249200.

Baraka J, Lawson DW, Schaffnit SB, Wamoyi J, Urassa M. Why marry early? Parental influence, agency and gendered conflict in Tanzanian marriages. Evol Hum Sci. 2022;4.

Tewahido D, Worku A, Tadesse AW, Gulema H, Berhane Y. Adolescent girls trapped in early marriage social norm in rural Ethiopia: a vignette-based qualitative exploration. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(2):e0263987. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263987 .

Chowdhury FD. The socio-cultural context of child marriage in a Bangladeshi village. Int J Soc Welfare. 2004;13(3):244–53.

Syamsidah, Dirawan GD. Early marriage family: (Case Study : At Tana Beru, Bulukumba Regency). Man India. 2016;96(5):1685-95.

Muhith A, Fardiansyah A, Saputra MH, Nurmiyati. Analysis of causes and impacts of early marriage on madurese Sumenep East Java Indonesia. Indian J Public Health Res Dev. 2018;9(8):1495-9.

Iustitiani NS, Ajisuksmo CR. Supporting Factors and Consequences of Child Marriage. ANIMA Indonesian Psycholl Jo. 2018;33(2):100–11.

Kohno A, Dahlui M, Nik Farid ND, Ali SH, Nakayama T. In-depth examination of issues surrounding the reasons for child marriage in Kelantan, Malaysia: a qualitative study. BMJ open. 2019;9(9):e027377.

Kohno A, Dahlui M, Nik Farid ND, Safii R, Nakayama T. Why girls get married early in Sarawak, Malaysia - an exploratory qualitative study. BMC Women's Health. 2020;20(1):46.

Susilo S, Istiawati NF, Aliman M, Alghani MZ. Investigation of early marriage: a phenomenology study in the society of Bawean Island, Indonesia. J Popul Soc Stud. 2021;29:544–62.

Bhandari NR. Early marriage in Nepal: Prospects for schoolgirls. J Int Women’s Stud. 2019;20(3):88–97.

Segal-Engelchin D, Huss E, Massry N. The Experience of Early Marriage: Perspectives of Engaged and Married Muslim Women in Israel. J Adolesc Res. 2016;31(6):725–49.

Vang PD, Her P. Teenage Marriage among Hmong American Women. J Hum Behav Soc Environ. 2014;24(2):138–55.

McDougal L, Jackson EC, McClendon KA, Belayneh Y, Sinha A, Raj A. Beyond the statistic: exploring the process of early marriage decision-making using qualitative findings from Ethiopia and India. BMC Women's Health. 2018;18(1):144.

Kohno A, Dahlui M, Nik Farid ND, Safii R, Nakayama T. Why girls get married early in Sarawak, Malaysia-an exploratory qualitative study. BMC Women’s Health. 2020;20:1–13.

Rahimi N, Ghodrati H, Ghodrati S. Exploring women’s experience of early marriages: a study in Titkanlu City Iran. J Popul Assoc Iran. 2023;18(35):57–95.

Javadian SR, Ahmedabadi, I ,Turkashund Moradabadi, M, A, M. Backgrounds and consequences of early marriage of girls aged 13 to 16 (Ardakan city, Yazd). Iran J Soc Stud. 2019;13(4):31-54.

Barai B, Rezaei M, Nadrian H, Matlabi H. What Socio-Cultural Factors Encourage Child Marriage in Sanandaj, Iran? A Qualitative Study. Child and Youth Services. 2023;1-12. Article in press.

Sabbe A, Oulami H, Hamzali S, Oulami N, Le Hjir FZ, Abdallaoui M, et al. Women’s perspectives on marriage and rights in Morocco: risk factors for forced and early marriage in the Marrakech region. Cult Health Sex. 2015;17(2):135–49.

Yaya S, Odusina EK, Bishwajit G. Prevalence of child marriage and its impact on fertility outcomes in 34 sub-Saharan African countries. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2019;19(1):1–11.

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Arnab AT, Siraj MS. Child marriage in Bangladesh: Policy and ethics. Bangladesh J Bioethics. 2020;11(1):24–34.

Scott S, Nguyen PH, Neupane S, Pramanik P, Nanda P, Bhutta ZA, et al. Early marriage and early childbearing in South Asia: trends, inequalities, and drivers from 2005 to 2018. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2021;1491(1):60–73.

Article   ADS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Alem AZ, Yeshaw Y, Kebede SA, Liyew AM, Tesema GA, Agegnehu CD, Teshale AB. Spatial distribution and determinants of early marriage among married women in ethiopia: a spatial and multilevel analysis. BMC Women’s Health. 2020;20(1):1–13.

Astutik NF, Nurmala I. Relationship of individual factors, and social factors with mother’s intention to continue early marriage tradition in Indonesia. Indian J Forensic Med Toxicol. 2020;14(3):1075–9.

Jones N, Tefera B, Stephenson J, Gupta T, Pereznieto P. Early marriage in Ethiopia: the role of gendered social norms in shaping adolescent girls’ futures. London: Overseas Development Institute; 2014.

Yeneneh A, Alemu K, Dadi AF, Alamirrew A. Spatial distribution of antenatal care utilization and associated factors in Ethiopia: evidence from Ethiopian demographic health surveys. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2018;18(1):1–12.

Fattah KN, Camellia S. Poverty, dowry and the ‘good match’: revisiting community perceptions and practices of child marriage in a rural setting in Bangladesh. J Biosoc Sci. 2022;54(1):39–53.

Paul P. Effects of education and poverty on the prevalence of girl child marriage in India: a district–level analysis. Children Youth Serv Rev. 2019;100:16–21.

Sarfo EA, Salifu Yendork J, Naidoo AV. Understanding child marriage in Ghana: The constructions of gender and sexuality and implications for married girls. Child Care Pract. 2022;28(2):228–41.

Abera M, Nega A, Tefera Y, Gelagay AA. Early marriage and women’s empowerment: the case of child-brides in Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2020;20(1):1–16.

Swidler A. Culture in action: Symbols and strategies. American Sociological Review. 1986;51(2):273-86.

Maswikwa B, Richter L, Kaufman J, Nandi A. Minimum marriage age laws and the prevalence of child marriage and adolescent birth: evidence from sub-Saharan Africa. International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. 2015;41(2):58-68.

Razif NHM. Between intention and implementation: recent legal reforms on child marriage in contemporary Malaysia. J Legal Anthropol. 2022;6(1):1–23.

Grijns M, Horii H. Child marriage in a village in West Java (Indonesia): Compromises between legal obligations and religious concerns. Asian J Law Soc. 2018;5(2):453–66.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors hope to thank the Deputy of research and technology in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.

There is no fund used in this study.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Asma Pourtaheri

Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Asma Pourtaheri, Mehrsadat Mahdizadeh, Hadi Tehrani & Nooshin Peyman

Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Jamshid Jamali

Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Mehrsadat Mahdizadeh, Hadi Tehrani, Jamshid Jamali & Nooshin Peyman

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

AP, MM, HT, JJ, NP designed the study, selected the articles, assessed the quality of articles, and extracted the data. AP and MM wrote the paper and made revisions. MM and NP critically reviewed the manuscript. NP preformed the supervision and conceptualization. The final version of the manuscript was read and approved by all authors and the conditions of authorship have been observed.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nooshin Peyman .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

The protocol of this meta-synthesis has been registered in the PROSPERO system with ID CRD42022377071.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Additional file 1:.

  Table S1. Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research: the ENTREQ statement. Table S2. Inclusion and exclusion criteria. Table S3. CASP critical appraisal checklist for analytical qualitative studies. Table S4. CASP critical appraisal checklist for analytical qualitative studies.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Pourtaheri, A., Mahdizadeh, M., Tehrani, H. et al. Socio-ecological factors of girl child marriage: a meta-synthesis of qualitative research. BMC Public Health 24 , 428 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17626-z

Download citation

Received : 18 July 2023

Accepted : 31 December 2023

Published : 10 February 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17626-z

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Child marriage
• Meta-synthesis
• Qualitative research

BMC Public Health

ISSN: 1471-2458

• Submission enquiries: [email protected]
• General enquiries: [email protected]

• Bibliography
• More Referencing guides Blog Automated transliteration Relevant bibliographies by topics
• Automated transliteration
• Relevant bibliographies by topics
• Referencing guides

Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Child marriage'

Create a spot-on reference in apa, mla, chicago, harvard, and other styles.

Consult the top 50 dissertations / theses for your research on the topic 'Child marriage.'

Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.

You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.

Browse dissertations / theses on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.

Ali, Anjum Ashraf. "Child marriage in Islamic law." Thesis, McGill University, 2000. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=31082.

Sabel, Johanna. "Child marriage, only for some - An argumentation analysis of the arguments regarding child marriage in the Swedish political arena." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-23406.

Johansson, Nathalie. "Child Marriage : The underlying reasons and possible solutions." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för samhällsstudier (SS), 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-45021.

Alking, Alaa. "CHILD MARRIAGE PRACTICES IN THE SYRIAN REFUGEE CAMPS." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Teologiska institutionen, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-396789.

Adeniyi, Olayinka Oluwakemi. "Legal protection of the girl child against child marriage (Aure Yarinya) in Nigeria." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/64609.

Nasrullah, Muazzam [Verfasser]. "Child marriage and its impact on maternal and child health in Pakistan / Muazzam Nasrullah." Bielefeld : Universitätsbibliothek Bielefeld, 2015. http://d-nb.info/1077605277/34.

Sanmartin, Beatrice <1996&gt. "The violation of child brides’ human rights: the possible solutions to tackle child marriage." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/20483.

Kim-Im, Julia. "Children's developing social cognitions on love and marriage." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1993. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/474.

Sjösvärd, Eira. "Legal Approaches to Child Marriage Concluded Abroad : A Comparison between Swedish Private International Law and English and Scottish Private International Law on Child Marriage." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Juridiska institutionen, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-431944.

Slighting, Sadie Andrews. "Post-birth Marriage, White-Hispanic Families, and Child Academic Achievement." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2020. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/8483.

Olaborede, Adebola Olufunmi. "The cultural practice of child marriage as a challenge to the realisation of the human rights of the girl –child: a comparative study of South Africa and Nigeria." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2578.

Annor, Euphemia Nyantakyiwaah. "The impact of child marriage on the sub-Saharan African economy." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/64631.

Grime, Jill. "Children in between : child rights and child placement in Sri Lanka." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2000. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/3675/.

Kelly, Nancy. "Decision making in child protection practice." Thesis, University of Huddersfield, 2000. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/4845/.

Lalonde, Simon. "Child rearing practices and attitudes of adolescent fathers." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 1988. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11500/.

Katz, Emma. "Surviving together : domestic violence and mother-child relationships." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2015. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28456/.

Cartwright, Kim. "The relationship between child ADHD and maternal expressed emotion : a longitudinal analysis of child and family effects." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2013. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/365631/.

Mgidlana, Roberta Hlalisa. "Should South Africa criminalise ukuthwala leading to child and forced marriages?" University of the Western Cape, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/7607.

Kohno, Ayako. "Exploring the Background Factors of Child Marriage in Malaysia: A Qualitative Study." Kyoto University, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/2433/254511.

Eng, Jessica. "Addressing discourses in manuals/texts on male engagement in ending child marriage." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-23757.

Owohunwa, Folayemi Oluwatosin. "Extent, experiences and perceptions on the practice of child marriage in northern Nigeria." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2018. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/22777/.

Worugji, Nheoma Eme. "Media portrayal of Child marriage in Nigeria in the light of existing laws." Master's thesis, Faculty of Law, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30427.

Lackovich-Van, Gorp Ashley N. "Positive Deviance and Child Marriage by Abduction in the Sidama Zone of Ethiopia." Antioch University / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1412885500.

Moschetti, Carole Olive. "Conjugal wrongs dont make rights : international feminist activism, child marriage and sexual relativism /." Connect to thesis, 2005. http://repository.unimelb.edu.au/10187/3135.

Phillips, Shannon. "Essays on HIV, Marriage and Education in Sub Saharan Africa." Thesis, Boston College, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/1993.

Bakhtibekova, Zulfiya. "Early girls' marriage in Tajikistan : causes and continuity." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10871/17438.

Mafhala, Vhangani Richard. "Child marriage : a violation of human rights of girls in a free South Africa." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/53428.

Wrightson, Mary. "Feminism and the practice of marriage, family, and child counseling in two California counties." Scholarly Commons, 1991. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2950.

Guhman, Kiran Kaur. "Violence within the family : risk factors associated with child maltreatment." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2014. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/5320/.

López, Melonio María Noel. "Asking “the child question” : - an analysis of the child perspective of Swedish legislation concerning child marriage with special focus on the recognition of those enacted in other countries." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Juridiska institutionen, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-175438.

Goisis, Alice. "Childbearing postponement and child wellbeing in the U.K. : reconciling and integrating different perspectives." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2013. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/844/.

Piper, Christine. "'Making-sense' of child neglect : an exploration of child welfare professionals' practice." Thesis, University of Huddersfield, 2013. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/20345/.

Walsh, Kieran. "Risk and reflexivity in the development of Irish child protection law and policy, 1919-2017." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2018. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/51649/.

Crowe, Rachel. "Living with a child with autism spectrum disorder : sibling and parental." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2014. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/5383/.

Cheng, Can. "Parental Involvement and Child Achievement in School Among Interracial Marriage and Same-race Marriage: Comparison of White-White, Asian-Asian, and White-Asian Families." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2016. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5938.

Badzis, Mastura. "Teachers' and parents' understanding of the concept of play in child development and education." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2003. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/2502/.

Kavari, Elizabeth Ikka Tjipetekera. "The impact of early marriage on the education attainment of the San-girl child in Omaheke Region, Namibia." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020052.

Sharp-Jeffs, Nicola. "A lot going on : the links between going missing, forced marriage and child sexual exploitation." Thesis, University of Bedfordshire, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10547/622097.

Zaher, Zulfia. "The Problematic Socialization of Child Marriage in Afghanistan: Perceptions, Challenges, and Possibilities for Social Change." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1375720048.

Ramnath, Prudence. "Are traditional African practices relating to child marriages in the face of HIV/AIDS in violation to the South African legal framework?" Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/5124.

Boodhoo, Amanda. "An examination of collaborative working in child protection." Thesis, University of Greenwich, 2010. http://gala.gre.ac.uk/7134/.

Mawodza, Obdiah. "An assessment of the legal framework on the protection of girls from child marriages in Malawi." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/5151.

Valentine, Marguerite Mary. "Developing a critical theory of child abuse : a discussion of the nature of child abuse as a manifestation of the social order." Thesis, University of Warwick, 1989. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/34822/.

Kotze, Marthé. "Is the difference in minimum legal ages of marriage for girls and boys in South Africa a violation of equality?" Diss., University of Pretoria, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/73472.

Alfano, Marco. "Female and child welfare in India : an empirical analysis." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2011. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/50806/.

Chung, Yee-har Ida. "An exploratory study of marital adjustment of mothers with a first born child /." [Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong], 1992. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B13418075.

Coulombe, Harold. "Child labour and schooling in West Africa : a three country study." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2000. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/36635/.

Arsene, Camelia V. "The quality of parent-child relationship and health in later life." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2009. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/3112/.

Sayeed, Yeasmin. "Child Marriage, Human Development and Welfare : Using Public Spending, Taxation and Conditional Cash Transfers as Policy Instruments." Doctoral thesis, Örebro universitet, Handelshögskolan vid Örebro Universitet, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-47122.

Melchiorre, Angela. "The right balance : The minimum age for marriage and the convention on the rights of the child." Thesis, University of London, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.536783.

Child Marriage Essay

500 words child marriage essay.

Child Marriage continues to be a prevalent practice in many parts of the world . Even though the world is evolving at a fast pace, there are some regions that can’t seem to move on with times. What’s sad is the dark reality of child marriage which is not considered often. Child marriage is basically the formal or informal marriage of a child with or without their consent, under the age of 18. In most cases, the boy or man is older than the girl. Through a child marriage essay, we will throw light on this social issue.

Causes and Impact of Child Marriage

Child marriage is no less than exploitation of right. In almost all places, the child must be 18 years and above to get married. Thus, marrying off the child before the age is exploiting their right.

One of the most common causes of child marriage is the tradition which has been in practice for a long time. In many places, ever since a girl is born, they consider her to be someone else’s property.

Similarly, the elders wish to work out their family’s expansion so they marry off the youngsters to characterize their status. Most importantly, poor people practice child marriage to get rid of their loans, taxes, dowry and more.

The impact of child marriage can be life-changing for children, especially girls. The household responsibilities fall on the children. They are not mentally or physically ready for it, yet it falls on them.

While people expect the minor boys to bear the financial responsibilities, the girls are expected to look after the house and family. Their freedom to learn and play is taken away.

Further, their health is also put at risk due to the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and more. Especially the girls who get pregnant at a young age, it becomes harmful for the mother as well as the baby.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to End Child Marriage

Ending child marriage is the need of the hour. In order to end this social evil, everyone from individuals to world leaders must challenge the traditional norms. Moreover, we must do away with ideas that reinforce that girls are inferior to boys.

We must empower the children, especially girls, to become their own agents of change. To achieve this, they must get access to quality education and allow them to complete their studies so they can lead an independent life later on.

Safe spaces are important for children to be able to express themselves and make their voices heard. Thus, it is essential to remove all forms of gender discrimination to ensure everyone is given equal value and protection.

Conclusion of Child Marriage Essay

To sum it up, a marriage must be a sacred union between mature individuals and not an illogical institution which compromises with the future of our children. The problem must be solved at the grassroots level beginning with ending poverty and lack of education. This way, people will learn better and do better.

FAQ on Child Marriage Essay

Question 1: What are the causes of child marriage?

Answer 1: The causes of child marriages include poverty, dowry, cultural traditions, religious and social pressures, illiteracy, and supposed incapability of women to work for money.

Question 2: How can we end child marriage?

Answer 2: To end child marriage we must also raise awareness about this issue and educate both parents and kids. Further, we must encourage them to be independent first and then search for a partner only after attaining a specific age. Laws should be introduced to tackle this social issue.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Child Marriage — Protecting Childhood: Child Marriage Should Be Banned

Protecting Childhood: Child Marriage Should Be Banned

• Categories: Child Marriage

About this sample

Words: 692 |

Published: Sep 1, 2023

Words: 692 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

• Expert in: Social Issues

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 642 words

3 pages / 1154 words

3 pages / 1370 words

2 pages / 1011 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Child Marriage

Child marriage, a concerning and pervasive issue in various parts of the world, represents a severe violation of human rights and dignity. This essay aims to delve into the complex topic of child marriage, exploring its causes, [...]

Child marriage, an issue that persists in various parts of the world, not only violates human rights but also severely hampers access to education for young girls. This essay aims to explore the intricate relationship between [...]

Child marriage is a pressing issue that requires urgent attention and concerted efforts to address. The practice of child marriage poses severe threats to the well-being, health, and future prospects of young individuals, [...]

Child marriage, a deeply ingrained practice in many parts of the world, represents a grave violation of human rights and dignity. This essay seeks to shed light on the disturbing phenomenon of child marriage, exploring its root [...]

Introduction to child labor as a significant issue Mention of childhood as an important period of learning and development Introduction to the argumentative essay on child labor Prevalence of child labor in [...]

Remember in school, preferably in your history class, how you learned about the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence? Yeah, you know, that one document with all amendments in it, and that other document that had a [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Child marriage - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Child marriage is a global issue where minors are married off, often before they are physically or emotionally mature. Essays on child marriage could explore the sociocultural or economic factors contributing to its prevalence, the legal frameworks surrounding it, or its impact on individuals and communities. Analyzing efforts to combat child marriage, the role of education, and the impact of global advocacy can provide a nuanced understanding of the challenges and potential solutions associated with addressing child marriage. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Child Marriage you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Child Marriage: Legal Dilemmas and Cultural Clash

Child marriage is the marriage that an individual performs without reaching the physical and mental maturity necessary to act as an adult. Child marriage usually means the marriage of a 18-year-old child. Early marriage, these minors are from their families, friends and future; education, deprives the school of life and pushes it under very difficult responsibilities. We see such marriages more especially in developing and underdeveloped countries. In our country's legal system; According to the Turkish Civil Code, the Turkish […]

Child Marriage: Uncovering the Causes and Consequences in Contemporary Society

Child marriage is a formal or informal marriage of a child under the age of 18. Generally it is a marriage of a young girl with older man. There are approximately 700 million women around the world today who got married at young age. There would be a few factors that lead to child marriage and the effect that it gave to our society. Firstly, unwanted early pregnancies contribute to the ubiquity of child marriage in Malaysia. A high number […]

What we Do: Economic Empowerment

Abstract : Education is widely understood as an indicator of women status and even more importantly as a factor for the empowerment of women. Women have such unexplored potential which has never been tapped. For centuries women were not treated equal to men in many ways. Today we can see that women occupies respectable positions in all walks of life. Yet, they are not absolutely free, due to discriminations and harassments of the society. A few number of women have […]

We will write an essay sample crafted to your needs.

Essay about Gender Segregation

The developing world has encountered various forms of gender inequality or segregation. In education, when discrimination is mentioned, most people happen to think about African or Middle Eastern. The question commonly asked is how often women can be involved in this issue of segregation in education? Recently, women have gone through tremendous struggles for them to be granted the same rights for education like those given to men. Gender segregation can be defined as the concentration of one gender in […]

India and Muslims

Presentation: India has a historical significance and, according to some estimates, Indian civilization dates back to over five thousand years. Therefore, it is natural that its society is also very old and complex. Throughout its long-spanning history, India has witnessed and absorbed several waves of immigrants including Aryans, Muslims etc. These immigrants brought their own ethnicities and cultures, contributing to the country's diversity, richness, and vitality. As such, Indian society is a complex mix of diverse cultures, people, beliefs, and […]

A Marriage that Means Nothing but Necessities

Marriages of convenience are undertaken for many other reasons than that of a relationship of love and affection. Instead, the marriages are based upon personal gain for either one or both people in the marriage. In most cases, people typically marry only so one of them can have a visa. Women in poor countries often marry men in exchange for a better life, uprooting themselves and leaving their families, children, and everything they have ever known behind. First, I will […]

Beyond Tradition: Analyzing Global Efforts to Combat Child Marriage

Stepping into the global arena, the battle against child marriage intensifies, challenging longstanding norms and traditions. This pervasive issue, involving the union of individuals before the age of 18, has triggered a synchronized international effort to dismantle its foundations and usher in a more equitable future. The discourse surrounding child marriage now transcends cultural confines, evolving into a universal call for action. It goes beyond the mere overhaul of legal frameworks, delving into the complexities of societal attitudes that sustain […]

The Impact of Early Unions: Examining the Causes and Consequences of Child Marriage

Child marriage, an enduring societal dilemma, casts a lengthy shadow over the destinies of numerous young souls globally. This practice, involving the union of individuals before the age of 18, unfolds against a tapestry of cultural traditions, economic pressures, and gender imbalances. The repercussions of early unions are profound, shaping the trajectories of those involved and perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage. In this exploration, we delve into the labyrinth of causes and consequences surrounding child marriage, striving for a comprehensive […]

Rethinking Love and Relationships in the Battle against Child Marriage

In a world steeped in age-old traditions and norms, the mere mention of redefining love and relationships to combat the blight of child marriage might sound like a whimsical fairy tale. Yet, here we are, delving into the labyrinth of change armed with skepticism. As a psychologist, I find myself navigating through the unexplored corridors of human behavior, questioning the efficacy of rewriting the narrative of love in the fight against an entrenched social ill. Love, an elusive emotion, has […]

Skeptic’s Perspective on Digital Guardians: Rethinking Technology in the Battle against Child Marriage

Child marriage, a deeply entrenched societal issue, has stirred global conversations and efforts aimed at finding innovative solutions. Advocates often champion technology as a digital guardian capable of combating this grave problem. However, as a skeptic psychologist, I approach this notion with caution, questioning the effectiveness and potential unintended consequences of relying solely on technology to address such a complex and deeply rooted cultural phenomenon. The proponents of utilizing technology in the fight against child marriage argue that digital tools […]

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers