Peer-reviewed article
Child Marriage in Yemen: A Mixed Methods Study in Ongoing Conflict and Displacement
Kara Hunersen, Bothaina Attal, Allison Jeffery, Janna Metzler, Tareq Alkibsi et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined child marriage in Yemen during ongoing conflict, comparing internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities. Using surveys, focus groups, and interviews, researchers found that 18.1% of displaced girls aged 10-19 were married, compared to 12.7% in host communities. Economic insecurity, lack of education, and unemployment of household members increased the likelihood of child marriage, while higher education and employment decreased it. The research highlights how displacement undermines economic security and household decision-making, making girls more vulnerable to early marriage.
Key points
- Prevalence of child marriage among IDP females aged 10-19 was 18.1% compared to 12.7% among host community females
- Never attending school increased odds of child marriage 3.94 times; being older increased odds 1.95 times
- Female adult unemployment increased odds of child marriage 2.84 times; head of household higher education decreased odds to 0.42
- Economic factors were the central reason cited for marriage decisions, particularly among IDPs
- Gender normative expectations shaped community perceptions of marriage readiness and awareness of child marriage consequences
Limitations
The study was conducted during active conflict, which may have affected data collection and response patterns. The cross-sectional survey design cannot establish causation, only associations between factors and child marriage.
Abstract
Abstract Objectives: This study assesses the prevalence of and risk factors for child marriage in Yemen, which was experiencing a nationwide conflict at the time of the study. Study Design: We conducted a survey of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities using a stratified multistage cluster sampling design. Each household included an interview with a female adult (n=1210), a household roster (n=8400), and one female adolescent interview (n=1210). We used multivariate logistic regression to assess the association between child marriage and various risk factors. We also used data from focus groups (n=411) and key informant interviews (n=30) to explore community perspectives and understand contextual factors relating to child marriage. Results: Prevalence of child marriage among IDP females aged 10-19 was 18.1% compared to 12.7% among hosts. In the regression model, being older (aOR=1.95), never attending school (aOR=3.94), place of origin of Saada (aOR=4.41), and unemployment of the female adult (aOR=2.84) showed increased odds of child marriage. Head of household unemployment (aOR=0.58) and completed higher education (aOR=0.42) showed decreased odds. Qualitatively, economic factors were cited as central factors in decision-making, both for host communities and even more so for IDPs. Perceptions of marriage readiness and negative consequences of child marriage were dependent on gender normative expectations. Conclusions: Displaced girls experience child marriage more than boys or host girls . Displacement effects economic security and household power dynamics, which affects marriage decision-making and girl s ability to self-advocate. Efforts to address child marriage in Yemen should include livelihood support, with awareness and conflict management components that start in pre-adolescence and include married and unmarried girls.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
Problem
High prevalence of child marriage among girls in Yemen, particularly those displaced by conflict
- Intervention
- Mixed-methods assessment including household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews to understand prevalence, risk factors, and contextual drivers of child marriage
- Population
- Internally displaced persons and host communities in Yemen; 1,210 female adults, 8,400 household roster members, 1,210 female adolescents, 411 focus group participants, and 30 key informants
Key finding
18.1% of IDP females aged 10-19 were married compared to 12.7% in host communities