Adolescent pregnancy and child marriage is a common public health problem worldwide. It is one of the key issues concerning reproductive health of women not only in developing countries but also in developed countries, including Indonesia. The international community is also aware that the problem of Adolescent pregnancy and child marriage is a very serious problem. The general implication is that women and children will be at risk in various aspects, related to unwanted marriages, forced sexual intercourse, pregnancy at a very young age, as well as an increased risk of transmission of HIV infection, other sexually transmitted diseases, and cervical cancer. The purpose of the article is to review current situation and issues on adolescent pregnancy and child marriage in Indonesia.
Marriage is a bond of body and soul aimed at forming a sakinah, mawaddah, and rahmah family, but social reality shows a high rate of early marriages that deviate from the ideal age limits according to Law No. 16 of 2019 and psychological perspectives. This study aims to explore the causes and impacts of early marriage, particularly those occurring in Bebanga Village, Kalukku District. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques through observation and interviews with community leaders and educators. The results of the study indicate that early marriage is triggered by various complex factors, including economic limitations, low education levels, local customary traditions, as well as married by accident (MBA) factors due to unsupervised free association by parents. Field findings indicate that the normalization of interactions between the opposite sexes and the lack of parental understanding of long-term impacts are the main causes of the increase in marriage rates each year. Early marriage has significant impacts on women's reproductive health risks, an increase in school dropouts, and mental unpreparedness in taking on household responsibilities. As a solution, this study emphasizes the importance of intensive education for parents regarding child-rearing according to religious law and strengthening oversight of adolescent interactions to minimize future legal and social consequences. Through this research, it is hoped that society can be wiser in understanding the essence of marriage as a long-term act of worship that requires both physical and psychological maturity.
Rusmayana M, Muzakkir Tayyibe, Wahyuddin Misbahuddin et al.
ABSTRACT This study provides a country‐specific, five‐decade analysis (1975–2025) of Bangladesh's child marriage trajectory, tracing long‐term shifts in prevalence and examining the structural, socioeconomic, and cultural forces shaping progress. Drawing on prevalence estimates and findings reported in nationally representative surveys (DHS, MICS), international demographic databases, legislative records, and an extensive empirical literature, this desk‐based synthesis documents Bangladesh's transition from extremely high child marriage rates following independence—exceeding 80% in the 1970s—to current estimates of approximately 51% of women married before age 18. Although this represents meaningful progress, declines are uneven across regions and demographic groups; rural areas, climate‐vulnerable districts, and girls with limited educational access remain disproportionately at risk. Persistent poverty, restrictive gender norms, school discontinuation, climate‐induced livelihood shocks, and weak enforcement of child protection laws continue to sustain early marriage practices. Educational attainment emerges as the strongest protective factor, with secondary school completion substantially reducing early marriage likelihood; however, disparities in school access across divisions perpetuate unequal risks. Bangladesh is unlikely to achieve the SDG 2030 elimination target, requiring acceleration from 1.6 to approximately 6.4 percentage points per year. The study identifies priority evidence‐based interventions—including strengthened social protection systems, expanded secondary education infrastructure, community‐level norm transformation, enhanced economic opportunities for adolescent girls, and multisectoral coordination—as essential for accelerating progress toward SDG Target 5.3 and eliminating child marriage in Bangladesh.
BACKGROUND: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.
Asma Pourtaheri, Mehrsadat Mahdizadeh, Hadi Tehrani et al.
This discussion paper offers a counterpoint to the behaviour change strategies proposed by the Social Norms Approach in the field of international development. It discusses the community-led and multi-layered approach of the Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya Foundation (MVF) in Telangana State, India, to transforming social norms on child labour, education, and gender. The MVF’s programme on universalizing education for adolescent girls is rooted in the belief that it is possible to change the patriarchal values that rule society. It addresses a broad range of obstacles to girls’ schooling, such as: gender discrimination, child labour, early marriage, cultural barriers, lack of safety and security, inadequate facilities in schools, and restrictions to physical mobility. Credible and mounting evidence from the field shows that: adolescent girls in the programme areas are now able to exercise agency and demand their rights; parents have stopped forcing girls into early marriage and are allowing them to follow their aspiration for secondary education; public servants are defending the rights of girls; and even traditionally conservative bodies, such as caste panchayats and priests, are coming around to the idea that early marriage has negative effects and are refusing to solemnize the marriages of minors. Data from MVF field mobilizers and from an independent study of the adolescent girls’ programme are provided to confirm the success of the approach in bringing about sustainable norm change and concrete improvements in outcomes for girls. These positive results were shown to persist despite the COVID-19 lockdown.
Marriage during childhood and adolescence adversely affects maternal and child health and well-being, making it a critical global health issue. Analysis of factors associated with women marrying ≥18 years has limited utility in societies where the norm is to marry substantially earlier. This paper investigated how much education Nepali women needed to delay marriage across the range of ages from 15 to ≥18 years. Data on 6,406 women aged 23-30 years were analysed from the Low Birth Weight South Asia Trial on the early-marrying and low-educated Maithili-speaking Madhesi population in Terai, Nepal. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the associations of women's education with marrying aged ≥15, ≥16, ≥17 and ≥18 years. Cox proportional hazards regression models quantified the hazard of marrying. Models adjusted for caste affiliation. Women married at median age of 15 years and three-quarters were uneducated. Women's primary and lower-secondary education were weakly associated with delaying marriage, whether the cut-off to define early marriage was 15, 16, 17 or 18 years, with stronger associations for secondary education. Caste associations were weak. Overall, models explained relatively little of the variance in the likelihood of marriage at different ages. The joint effects of lower-secondary and higher caste affiliation and of secondary/higher education and mid and higher caste affiliation reduced the hazard of marrying. In early-marrying and low-educated societies, changing caste-based norms are unlikely to delay women's marriage. Research on broader risk factors and norms that are more relevant for delaying marriage in these contexts is needed. Gradual increases in women's median marriage age and increased secondary education may, over time, reduce child and adolescent marriage.
Akanksha A. Marphatia, Naomi M. Saville, Dharma S. Manandhar et al.
While "Gender Equality" is specified by SDG 5 and must be promoted by 2030, "Decent work for all," "sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth," and "full and productive employment" are those of SDG 8. Suppose we concentrate on the labor market, where participation in the workforce by men is 80% globally percentage of women participation hardly exceeds 50%. The female participation rate in the workforce was 34.1 percentage in 1999–2000. This rate of participation decreased to 27.2 percentage in 2011–2012 (ILO report). Supply-side and demand-side factors can analyse the reasons for the low participation rate in the workforce. We get several supply-side problems for which women are unable to participate in labour market, among them, one of the most important reason is early-marriage. Marriage is the most crucial institution for the Individual and the society at large. For the Individual, it is a significant and memorable event in one’s life as well as the most important foundation in the family formation process. However, “Early age marriage is one of the most prevalent forms of sexual abuse and exploitation especially among the adolescent girls. It serves as a means of perpetuating power imbalances between men and women, both in the home and outside” (Ghosh, Jan-Dec., 2011). Early age marriage has adversely influenced Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in underdeveloped countries including India. Moreover, child marriage has five domains of impacts on adolescent girls: (i) fertility rate and population growth; (ii) health, nutrition level, and violence; (iii) level of educational attainment (iv) labor force participation, earnings, and productivity; and (v) power of decision-making and other areas (Wodon, et al., 2017).
Background: In Bangladesh, the prevalence of child marriage remains high. Parents are known to be key decision-makers for their daughter's marriage, however, little is known about wider social network support for girl's early marriage. This study examines the key actors and dynamics in social networks, often across generations, that support early marriage decisions and explores the reasons, experiences, and perceptions of benefits for girl's early marriage. Methods: = 20) in three villages in Bangladesh. Young women and network members participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews and identified and ranked network members involved in marriage decisions. A thematic analysis was conducted and social network maps were created with participants. Results: Parents were central in the decision-making of girls' marriage. Fathers were final decision-makers and mothers were important in the coordination of marriage. The age of a girl was not a central factor in marriage decisions, rather readiness for marriage depended on perceptions of physical growth, maturity, demeanour, and beauty. Timing of girls' marriage was also based on household economic conditions and averting potential losses of honour, which were persistent themes across participants and generations. Conclusions: This study found that marriage decisions for adolescent girls were made by girls' immediate social and familial networks. Programming and policy changes are needed to create community- and network-led change to shift perceptions of girls' readiness for marriage before 18 years.
Anja Zinke-Allmang, Ruchira Tabassum Naved, Daniel J. Carter et al.
This study analyzes the self-concept of adolescent girls who dropped out of school due to marrying at a young age. The research method employed a qualitative phenomenological approach, using in-depth interviews and observations involving three subjects in Rejeni Village, Krembung District, Sidoarjo Regency. The findings revealed that early marriage influences their self-concept in various aspects, including self-identity, behavior, self-evaluation, body image, ethics, family roles, and social roles. The respondents faced significant challenges in adjusting to their new responsibilities, such as becoming a wife and mother, which affected their self-confidence, academic opportunities, and social adaptation.
Many girls in Indonesia lack the information and life skills necessary to navigate the complex worlds they live in, making them vulnerable to teenage pregnancy and child marriage. Around one in nine, or 11% of girls, married before age 18 in 2016 (Susenas). Ultimately, many of these marriages and subsequent dropping out of school are happening due to teenage pregnancy or due to families’ wishing to protect their female children from the stigma of a potential pregnancy out of wedlock. The Human Centered Design (HCD) process inspired innovation and used a user-centred process to design solutions. Adolescents were led through a process of identifying and solving challenges, with consultations with teachers, health workers and parents to understand the greater context. It identified an innovative and gender responsive adolescent friendly information and communication material - a comic book - to close the information gap for adolescents on child marriage, healthy relationships and reproductive health.
Felice Bakker, Nur Hidayati Handayani, Emilie Minnick et al.
