Peer-reviewed article
Occurrences and characteristics of forced marriages among girls married before the age of 16 in a Northern Nigerian State
Felix Olaniyi Sanni, Olumide Faith Ajani, Elizabeth A. Sanni, Zachary Terna Gwa, Michael Olugbamila Dada et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined forced child marriage among girls married before age 16 in Borno, Nigeria. Researchers surveyed 210 women aged 15-49 who were married as children and found that 23.8% experienced forced marriage, with rates higher in earlier decades. Girls forced into marriage experienced more domestic violence and gender-based violence from family members compared to those who married without coercion.
Key points
- Forced marriage prevalence was 23.8% among girls married before 16, higher (37.5%) in the 1980-1989 period
- One-third of forced marriages occurred when girls were aged 9-12 years
- Girls with no formal education (28.6%) and those attending Qur'anic schools (25.5%) had higher forced marriage rates
- Those coerced into marriage experienced higher spousal ill-treatment (30.0%) and gender-based violence from family (32.0%) compared to non-coerced girls
- Fistula prevalence was lower among coerced girls (2.0%) than non-coerced (10.6%)
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional study examining retrospective reports from women over a 30-year period, which may be subject to recall bias. The study cannot determine causation or evaluate the effectiveness of any interventions to prevent forced child marriage.
Abstract
Abstract Background: Child marriage is deeply ingrained in Nigerian tradition, culture, and religion, and the country has one of the highest rates of child marriage globally. The objective of this study was to examine the occurrence and characteristics of coerced marriages among girls married before turning 16 in Borno, Nigeria. It perceives premarital unions as a substantial violation of human rights, particularly affecting the independence of adolescent girls. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study took place in three local government areas (LGAs) situated in Borno, Nigeria, namely Konduga, Jere, and Maiduguri Metropolitan City LGAs. Structured questionnaires were distributed to 210 female participants aged between 15 and 49, who were married before reaching 16, from 1989 to 2019, to gather data. Data analysis was done using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25.0, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Results: The incidence of forced marriage among girls under 16 years old was recorded at 23.8%, notably higher during the period spanning from 1980 to 1989 at 37.5%. Among respondents currently married, approximately one-fifth (23.1%) disclosed being coerced into marriage. A higher proportion underwent forced marriage during the ages of 9–12 years, accounting for 33.3%. Moreover, a considerable portion of respondents with no formal education (28.6%) and those who attended Qur’anic schools (25.5%) were compelled into marriage. The prevalence of fistula among girls married early stood at 8.6%, with 10.6% among those not subjected to forced marriage and 2.0% among girls who were coerced. Among early married girls, 20.5% reported facing ill-treatment from their spouses, with a higher proportion (30.0%) among those coerced into marriage compared to those not coerced (17.5%). Additionally, gender-based violence from family members was notably more prevalent among girls forced into marriage (32.0%), with a significance level of P < 0.05. Conclusion: Efforts directed toward reducing the prevalence of girl-child marriage in Nigeria should focus on tackling entrenched cultural norms that differ among ethnic groups and religious beliefs. The public health implications encompass gender-based violence, abuse, and the breakdown of marriages.