Exploring the determinants of female early age marriages in Pakistan

Abstract

BackgroundEarly age marriage is associated with a range of poor social, economic, physical, and health outcomes for adolescent girls and their descendants. Early age marriage is a crime and violation of human rights. Female early age marriage is a serious issue in Pakistan. ObjectiveThe objective of the current study has been to find the key determinants of early age marriages of females in Pakistan. Participants and settingThe respondents of the study have been married females in the age group of 15–49 years. The nationally representative household survey data “Pakistan Demographic Health Survey (PDHS) 2017-18” has been used for the analysis. MethodsThe analysis has been done using descriptive statistics, association tests, and logistic regression. ResultsThe results indicate that the variables included in the analysis are statistically significant. As compared to poorest, the odds ratios associated with poorer, middle, richer, richest have been 0.795, 0.722, 0.579, and 0.532 respectively. As compared to illiterate, the odds ratios associated with a primary, secondary, and a higher level of education have been: 0.954, 0.531, and 0.141 respectively. As compared to working females the odds ratio associated with not working has been 1.169. The odds ratios associated with Balochi, Saraiki, Pushto, Sindhi, Punjabi, and other ethnic groups have been 1.694, 1.499, 1.447, 1.195, 0.906, and 1.31 respectively. Being an urban resident has an odds ratio of 0.897 against the rural resident. ConclusionIt is concluded that higher education level of female, better household wealth status, working female job status and media exposure reduces the likelihood of girls' early age marriages in Pakistan.