Exploring the impact of perceived early marriage on women's education and employment in Bangladesh through a mixed-methods study.

Autor: Khan MN; Department of Population Science, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Namapara, Mymensingh, 2220, Bangladesh. sumonrupop@gmail.com.; Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia. sumonrupop@gmail.com., Khanam SJ; Department of Population Science, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Namapara, Mymensingh, 2220, Bangladesh., Khan MMA; Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh., Billah MA; Health System and Population Studies Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh., Akter S; La Trobe Rural Health School, John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3689, Australia.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Scientific reports [Sci Rep] 2024 Sep 17; Vol. 14 (1), pp. 21683. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Sep 17.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-73137-w
Abstrakt: Child marriage negatively affects women's socio-economic empowerment, particularly in education and employment. This study aimed to explore women' perspectives on the timing of their marriages, considering their educational and employment status at the time. It also sought to identify factors influencing early married women's perception of their marriages as timely. We analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data included a sample of 5,596 women aged 15-24 from the 2017/18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. Additionally, we collected qualitative data through six in-depth interviews, two focus group discussions, and 13 key informant interviews. We used a multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression model to examine the relationship between women's formal employment, education, and child marriage. Thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative data. Around 62% of the total women analysed reported their married occurred early with the mean age at marriage was 15.2 years. Approximately 55% of the total early married women believed their marriages occurred at the right time, especially among those who were employed at the time of their marriage. Among this subset, we also noticed a higher likelihood of discontinuing work and education following marriage. Qualitative findings revealed reasons behind this perception, such as escaping poverty, safety concerns, limited job prospects, and the impact of non-marital relationship and societal norms. While many early-married women perceived their marriage as timely, particularly those initially employed, this decision often coincides with a subsequent withdrawal from work and education. This underscores the pressing need for policies and programs aimed at educating women about the legal age for marriage and the negative consequences associated with early marriage while also equipping them with knowledge and resources for informed decision-making.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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