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. 2019 Jan 7;19(1):19.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-6340-6.

Students and brides: a qualitative analysis of the relationship between girls' education and early marriage in Ethiopia and India

Anita Raj  1   2 , Marissa Salazar  3 , Emma C Jackson  4 , Natalie Wyss  5 , Katherine A McClendon  6 , Aarushi Khanna  7 , Yemeserach Belayneh  8 , Lotus McDougal  5
Affiliations

Students and brides: a qualitative analysis of the relationship between girls' education and early marriage in Ethiopia and India

Anita Raj et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Early marriage (< 18 years) is associated with education cessation among girls. Little research has qualitatively assessed how girls build resiliency in affected contexts. This study examines these issues in Oromia, Ethiopia and Jharkhand, India among girls and their decision-makers exposed to early marriage prevention programs.

Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with girls who received the intervention programs and subsequently either a) married prior to age 18 or b) cancelled/postponed their proposed early marriage. Girls also selected up to three marital decision-makers for inclusion in the study. Participants (N = 207) were asked about the value and enablers of, and barriers to, girls' education and the interplay of these themes with marriage, as part of a larger in-depth interview on early marriage. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using latent content analysis.

Results: Participants recognized the benefits of girls' education, including increased self-efficacy and life skills for girls and opportunity for economic development. A girl's capacity and desire for education, as well as her self-efficacy to demand it, were key psychological assets supporting school retention. Social support from parents and teachers was also important, as was social support from in-laws and husbands to continue school subsequent to marriage. Post-marriage education was nonetheless viewed as difficult, particularly subsequent to childbirth. Other noted barriers to girls' education included social norms against girls' education and for early marriage, financial barriers, and poor value of education.

Conclusion: Social norms of early marriage, financial burden of school fees, and minimal opportunity for girls beyond marriage affect girls' education. Nonetheless, some girls manifest psychological resiliency in these settings and, with support from parents and teachers, are able to stay in school and delay marriage. Unfortunately, girls less academically inclined, and those who do marry early, are less supported by family and existing programs to remain in school; programmatic efforts should be expanded to include educational support for married and childbearing girls as well as options for women and girls beyond marriage.

Keywords: Early marriage; Ethiopia; India; adolescent health; education; gender roles.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Ethical approval for data collection was granted by the Public Health Institute Institutional Review Board (#I14–001 and #I13–028). Ethical approval for this analysis was granted by the University of California San Diego.

Consent was obtained for all participants aged 14 and older. For participants under 14, assent was obtained from participants, and consent was obtained from their parents or legal guardians. Consent and assent were both verbal to avoid written documentation of study involvement. The IRB who approved the original data collection (PHI) in Ethiopia and India granted waiver of written consent/assent, as well as an age waiver to allow the age of consent to be set at 14 as the study involved no more than minimal risk.

Consent for publication

Not applicable

Competing interests

AR, LM, KM, MS, EJ and NW have no potential conflicts of interest to report. YB and AK are employees of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, which supported the programs described in this paper, as well as the data collection for, and development of, this manuscript. Their input into analyses and objective interpretation of findings for this manuscript were not influenced by their employment with the funding institution.

Publisher’s Note

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

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Benefits and Disadvantages of Girls Education: Note: Blue indicates findings reflect Ethiopia and India. Purple indicates findings only reflect Ethiopia. Red indicates findings only reflect India
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Enablers and Barriers to Continuation/Completion of Girls’ Secondary Education: Note: Blue indicates findings reflect Ethiopia and India. Purple indicates findings only reflect Ethiopia
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Enablers and Barriers to Continuation of Girls’ Education Post-Marriage: Note: Blue indicates findings reflect Ethiopia and India
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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