According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescents are children who have reached the age of 10 to 18 years, while according to the National Education Office, it is considered a teenager if a child has reached the age of 10-18 years for girls and 12 to 20 years for boys. This study aims to obtain a clearer and more complete picture of Overview of knowledge about the ideal age of marriage, preparation for family life and the impact of early marriage on young women. This research uses a descriptive method. The sample in this study was 115 female adolescent girls at SMAS Methodist Pancur Batu street. Pancur Batu, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra. The sampling technique is Stratified Random Sampling which is where the sample is taken based on the strata in the population . The research instrument uses a questionnaire in the form of a google form . The results obtain from 31 respondents show that the most who had good knowledge were 18 people 58.06%, knowledgeable enough 8 people 25.82% and the least who had less knowledge are 5 people 16.12%. Respondents' knowledge is good because respondents received more information from education staff or teachers who might be able to help young women to gain knowledge about the impact of early marriage, they also got knowledge and information from social media.
BACKGROUND: Vulnerable adolescents are exposed to sexual and reproductive health harms. Ignoring the sexual and reproductive health of this group can have irreparable consequences. The present qualitative study aimed to explore the barriers to the access of vulnerable adolescent girls to sexual and reproductive health. METHODS: In this study, sixteen 14-19-year-old adolescent girls and twenty-two key informants were selected using purposive sampling method. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews, they expressed their experiences of barriers to sexual and reproductive health in vulnerable adolescent girls. The data were encoded using the conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Based on the results of the study, neglecting the reproductive and sexual health of vulnerable adolescent girls at different levels leads to serious challenges and obstacles in providing and maintaining it. Lack of a responsible family, the repulsive behaviors of the family and following risky behaviors of peers led to ignoring the sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls. Unanswered sexual questions, defective life skills, unwanted pregnancy during adolescence, lack of awareness of unsafe sex, violating cultural norms and wounded psyche in vulnerable adolescent girls threaten their sexual and reproductive health. Ineffectiveness of key organizations in providing sexual and reproductive health services alongside lack of legal, political and social support in this area indicate that the sexual and reproductive health of these girls is not a priority for the society. CONCLUSION: Numerous personal, family, social, legal and political barriers challenge the sexual and reproductive health of vulnerable adolescent girls. Developing a comprehensive and practical program beside legal and political support for this issue can provide the basis for the sexual and reproductive health of this group of adolescents in societies.
Mojgan Janighorban, Zahra Boroumandfar, Razieh Pourkazemi et al.
Sustainable Development Goal 5 challenges governments to address child marriage, which may inhibit girls from developing an agentic self. This paper assesses the direct influence of community gender norms on adolescent agency, and the normative contexts in which gender gaps in adolescent agency are larger or smaller in Nepal. Using baseline data for adolescent girls, adolescent boys, and adults in 54 clusters participating in the CARE Tipping Point Trial, multilevel analysis tested whether: adolescent boys had higher agency than girls; and community gender norms among adults partly accounted for or modified gender gaps in adolescent agency. Gender gaps in agency disfavoring girls were common. Community gender norms were more positively associated with intrinsic agency among girls than boys, and more negatively associated with instrumental and collective agency among girls than boys. Enhancing girls’ agency while promoting gender-equitable community norms may empower girls’ transition to adulthood.
Kathryn M. Yount, Robert L. Durr, Irina Bergenfeld et al.
Polikliniğine Yönlendirilen Ergenlerin Sosyodemografik ve Ruhsal Özelliklerinin Değerlendirilmesi Evaluation of the Sociodemographic and Psychiatric Features of the Adolescents who were Referred to a Child Psychiatry Clinic for the Forensic Evaluation for Early MarriageAmaç: Birçok ülkede evlilik için yasal yaş sınırı bulunmasına rağmen, erken evlilik olarak tanımlanan 18 yaş altı evlilikler varlığını halen sürdürmektedir.Cinsiyetler arası ciddi farklılıkların gözlendiği erken evlilikler, özellikle kız çocuklarının fiziksel ve ruhsal iyilik halini olumsuz etkilemektedir.Çalışmamızda erken evlilikler ile ilişkili olabilecek sosyodemografik etmenler ve psikiyatrik tanıların incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem:Çalışmamıza erken evlendirilmeleri için mahkemeler tarafından adli değerlendirmesi yapılması amacı ile yönlendirilen 42 ergen alındı.Olguların dosyaları, sosyal inceleme raporları ve psikometrik değerlendirme sonuçları geriye dönük olarak incelendi.Psikiyatrik bozukluk tanıları DSM-5'e dayalı klinik görüşme ile belirlendi. Bulgular:Olguların tamamı kız ergendi, %20'si okuryazar değildi, %40'ı ilkokul mezunuydu.Örneklemin %56,8'i kırsal alanda yaşıyordu.Adli görüşmeye geldiğinde %81'i dini nikah ile gayriresmi evlilik gerçekleştirmişti.Kızların %59,5'i gebeydi, %9,5'inin çocuğu vardı.DSM-5'e göre psikiyatrik tanı alma oranı %9,5'ti.Erken yaşta gebelik yaşayanlar, hiç gebelik yaşamayanlar ile karşılaştırıldığında, daha küçük yaşta dini nikah ile evlendirildikleri ve eşleri ile aralarındaki yaş farkının daha fazla olduğu gözlendi (p<0,05). Sonuç:Erken evlilikler düşük eğitim düzeyi ve sosyoekonomik güçlükler ile ilişkilidir.Yüksek risk altında olan kızların okul ortamında kalma sürelerinin uzatılması, küçük yaşta evlilik oranlarını azaltabilmek amaçlı en temel tedbirlerden biridir.Evli kızlara yönelik eğitim, bilgi ve beceri gelişimini destekleyici özel ağların oluşturulmasına ihtiyaç vardır.
Currently, Nepal is not on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 5.3 – the elimination of harmful practices, including child, early and forced marriage by the year 2030. Evidence on what works to prevent child, early and forced marriage often is inattentive to contextual factors that influence intervention effectiveness. This study presents qualitative results of a mixed-methods evaluation of CARE’s Tipping Point Program to prevent child, early and forced marriage in Nepal, interrogating the perceived benefits of the programme and elucidating contextual features that enhance or detract from programme benefit. Baseline data included interviews with adolescent girls (N = 20), boys (N = 10), adult community leaders (N = 8) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with girls (N = 8 groups; 48 individuals), boys (N = 8 groups; 47 individuals) and parents (N = 16 groups; 95 individuals). Using thematic analysis and structured comparisons by time, gender, district, caste/community, stakeholder type and arm, we found diverse programme participation, but widespread improvements in knowledge across several domains, with behavioural changes concentrated among participants with stronger participation and pre-programme characteristics suggestive of low risk of child marriage. Findings underscore the need to address structural barriers to prevent child marriage and the challenges of attributing programme benefit amidst a dynamic social context.
Latar Belakang: Pernikahan merupakan peristiwa penting dalam kehidupan, namun jika dilakukan usia anak maka dapat menyebabkan dampak negatif seperti kekerasan rumah tangga sebesar 56%. Data Periode Januari – Agustus 2022 terdapat 23 kasus pernikahan dini dari 100 jumlah sasaran remaja di Pekon Sedampah. Adapun faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan pernikahan dini ialah faktor presdiposisi (pengetahuan, sikap, budaya), faktor pemungkin (pendidikan, keterpaparan pornografi), faktor penguat (pengetahuan, sikap responden dan pendapatan orang tua). Tujuan penelitian ini diketahui Faktor Risiko Pernikahan Usia Anak di Pekon Sedampah Kabupaten Lampung Barat Tahun 2022.Metode: Jenis penelitian ini adalah kuantitatif dengan rancangan penelitian secara cross sectional. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh remaja di Pekon Sedampah yang berjumlah 100 responden dengan sampel yang diguanakan sebanyak 67 responden menggunakan teknik purposive sampling. Penelitian telah dilakukan di Pekon Sedampah Kabupaten Lampung Barat pada bulan Januari 2023. Analisis data dengan univariat, bivariat, multivariat (regresi logistik faktor resiko desain).Hasil : ada hubungan pengetahuan (p-value = 0,029), pendidikan (p-value = 0,003), pendapatan orang tua (p-value = 0,001), pendidikan orang tua (p-value = 0,001), teman sebaya (p-value = 0,038), kepercayaan (p-value= 0,001), budaya (p-value = 0,001), pengaruh dukunagan keluarga (p-value = 0,027), sikap (p-value = 0,037) dan faktor dominan yang menjadi penyebab pernikahan dini adalah pendapatan orang tua dengan nilai OR = 17,0. Saran dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan remaja dan keluarga tentang kesehatan reproduksi remaja baik berupa penyuluhan, KIE melalui media informasi, dan PIK-KRR di sekolah Kata kunci: pendidikan, pengetahuan, pernikahan usia anak. ABSTRACT Background: Marriage is momentous event in life, but if done at a young age, it can result in negative impacts such as a 56% prevalence of domestic violence. Data for the period January - August 2022 shows that there were 23 cases of early marriage out of 100 targeted teenagers in Pekon Sedampah. The factors associated with early marriage are predisposition factors (knowledge, attitudes, and culture), enabling factors (education, exposure to pornography), reinforcing factors (knowledge, attitudes of respondents and parental income). The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors for child marriage in Pekon Sedampah, West Lampung Regency in 2022.Methods: This study is quantitative with a cross-sectional research design. The population in this study consists of all adolescents in Pekon Sedampah, totaling 100 respondents, with a sample size of 67 respondents using purposive sampling. The research was conducted in Pekon Sedampah, West Lampung Regency in January 2023. Data analysis includes univariate, bivariate, and multivariate (logistic regression for risk factor design).Results: There is a relationship between knowledge (p-value = 0.029), education (p-value = 0.003), parental income (p-value = 0.001), parental education (p-value = 0.001), peers (p-value = 0.038), trust (p-value = 0,001), culture (p-value = 0.001), the influence of family support (p-value = 0.027), attitude (p-value = 0.037) and the dominant factor that causes early marriage is parental income with an OR value = 17.0. Recommendations include improving the knowledge of adolescents and families about adolescent reproductive health through education, information, and communication activities (KIE) through media, and school-based reproductive health programs (PIK-KKR). Keywords: education, knowledge, child marriage.
Enti Lestari, Dina Dwi Nuryani, Fitri Eka Sari et al.
Background: Early marriage among adolescents remains a critical public health concern in Indonesia, with significant implications for reproductive health, educational attainment, and social wellbeing. This study examined the effect of comprehensive reproductive health education on the knowledge and attitudes of adolescent girls toward early marriage prevention at SMA Primbana Medan. Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group was conducted from August 2024 to January 2025. The study population comprised all female students at SMA Primbana Medan (N = 180). Using purposive sampling, 60 participants were recruited and equally divided into an intervention group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). Inclusion criteria included female students aged 15–18 years who were enrolled in grades X–XII and provided informed consent. The intervention consisted of six structured reproductive health education sessions delivered over eight weeks. Data were collected using validated questionnaires measuring reproductive health knowledge (20 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.82) and attitudes toward early marriage (25 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.87). Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Universitas Bunda Thamrin (No. EC-UBT/2024/08). Data were analyzed using paired t-test and independent t-test with a significance level of p < 0.05 using SPSS version 26. Results: Before the intervention, no significant difference existed between groups in knowledge (p = 0.612) or attitudes (p = 0.573). After the intervention, the mean knowledge score in the intervention group increased significantly from 52.4 ± 9.3 to 81.6 ± 7.2 (p < 0.001), while no significant change was observed in the control group (53.1 ± 8.9 to 55.0 ± 9.1; p = 0.387). Similarly, attitudes toward early marriage prevention improved significantly in the intervention group from 68.3 ± 10.1 to 89.7 ± 8.4 (p < 0.001). The effect size for knowledge change was large (Cohen's d = 2.68), and for attitude change was large (Cohen's d = 2.15). Conclusion: Comprehensive reproductive health education significantly improved both knowledge and attitudes of adolescent girls toward early marriage prevention. School-based reproductive health education programs should be systematically integrated into the national curriculum to reduce the incidence of early marriage.
Marriage is considered as compulsive ritual by all societies, though it has been explained differently by different cultural groups. In Nepal the prevalence of love marriage varies between communities, regions, castes and ethnic groups, but most of the time they are early before the legal age of marriage. In this context, this paper explores the views from school officials regarding the reasons of early marriage, where they have highlighted the cultural practices, social media, lack of transformative sexuality education from schools, gap in the contents of school curriculum regarding sexual and reproductive health. For the purpose of data collection teachers from Baira Mahdev School were purposively selected and in-depth interviews were conducted for exploring their views. The collected data were analyzed on thematic basis and relevant themes were generated.Journal of Health Promotion Vol.6 2008, p.80-85
Child marriage remains a persistent social practice within Indonesian society, including in East Kalimantan, a region marked by strong extractive economic structures, pronounced spatial inequalities, and rapid social transformations as a buffer zone for the new national capital (IKN). This article examines child marriage practices across 13 districts and municipalities in East Kalimantan through Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of social practice, emphasizing the interplay between habitus, symbolic capital, and social fields in shaping social action. The study employs a descriptive-qualitative method, based on in-depth interviews with 89 individuals engaged in Child marriage. Findings reveal that Child marriage is legitimized by communal moral pressures, customary norms, and the logic of family honor, further reinforced by the state through marriage dispensation practices in religious courts. The agency of adolescent girls in decision-making is severely constrained by patriarchal social structures, structural poverty, and limited access to education and reproductive health services. Within a social space characterized by unequal distribution of cultural and symbolic capital, Child marriage emerges as a strategy of honor reproduction deemed socially legitimate. The article argues that child marriage is not merely an individual problem but a product of symbolic power relations and local social structures. Reform of marriage dispensation regulations, community-based sexuality education, and value interventions through grassroots institutions are urgently needed to disrupt the cycle of intergenerational inequality.
Sri Murlianti, Ahmad Hidayah, Aji Qamara Dewi Hakim et al.
Adolescent pregnancies, a risk factor for obstetric complications and perinatal mortality, are driven by child marriage in many regions of South Asia. We used data collected between 2017-2019 from 56,155 married adolescents and women in a health and demographic surveillance system to present a population-level description of historical trends in child marriage from 1990-2019 as well as epidemiologic associations between maternal age and pregnancy outcomes in Baliakandi, a rural sub-district of Bangladesh. For pregnancies identified between 2017-2019, we used Kaplan-Meier estimates to examine timing of first pregnancies after first marriage and multinomial logistic regression to estimate associations between maternal age and perinatal death. We described the frequency of self-reported obstetric complications at labor and delivery by maternal age. In 1990, 71% of all marriages were to female residents under 18 years of age. This decreased to 57% in 2010, with the largest reduction among females aged 10-12 years (22% to 3%), and to 53% in 2019. Half of all newly married females were pregnant within a year of marriage, including adolescent brides. Although we observed a decline in child marriages since 1990, over half of all marriages in 2019 were to child brides in Baliakandi. In this same population, adolescent pregnancies were more likely to result in obstetric complications (13-15 years: 36%, 16-17 years: 32%, 18-34 years: 23%; χ2 test, p<0.001) and perinatal deaths (13-15 years: stillbirth OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.01-2.42; 16-17 years: early neonatal death OR 1.57, 95% CI: 1.01-2.42) compared to adult pregnancies. Preventing child marriage can improve the health of girls and contribute to Bangladesh's commitment to reducing child mortality.
Kyu Han Lee, Atique Iqbal Chowdhury, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman et al.
