Married Adolescents Research Articles

Using the Omaha System to Determine Health and Social Problems of Roma Population in Istanbul: Secondary Data Analysis.

The aim of this study was to determine the health and social problems and related behaviors of the Roma population by using the Omaha System. The data were collected from 650 Roma individuals. This study was a cross-sectional secondary data analysis and the data were collected in two stages. First, the "Technical Assistance for Promoting Social Inclusion in Densely Roman Populated Areas Project (SIROMA)" Act team evaluated health problems among Roma individuals. Second, data were reanalyzed using the Omaha System. When sociodemographic and economic characteristics were evaluated, low education level, adolescent marriages, a high number of live births, soiled living areas, unemployment, and substance use were found in the Roma population. In this context, using the Omaha System, the frequently diagnosed health and social problems were Sanitation (13.5%), Healthcare supervision (11.8%), Nutrition (11.0%), Income (9.8%), Respiration (8.3%), Substance use (7.3%), and Neighborhood/workplace safety (6.0%). This study results found out that the Roma population is less prone than natives to have healthy lifestyle behaviors and more prone to experience a deterioration in both their general and mental health. The Omaha System is a valid method used to collect and analyze data for a vulnerable population in the community. Also, it has been proven that the Omaha System Problem Classification Scheme can provide a more detailed and comprehensive assessment.

Survival patterns of neonates born to adolescent mothers and the effect of pregnancy intentions and marital status on newborn survival in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, 2014–2016

ABSTRACT Background Adolescent pregnancy and associated neonatal mortality are major global health challenges. In low-income settings where 90% of the 21 million global adolescent pregnancies occur, half are unintended and a fifth experience unsafe abortion. In Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, the survival patterns of neonates born to adolescents are unclear. Objectives To assess survival patterns among neonates born to adolescents and the effect of pregnancy intentions and marital status on survival in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Methods Cross-sectional data from demographic and health surveys in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania 2014–2016 were used. Kaplan-Meier estimates investigated patterns of neonatal survival among adolescent mothers, aged 15–19 years, compared to mothers aged 20–29 years. Cox proportional hazards regression determined the hazard ratios (HR) for the predictors of neonatal survival. Results About 50% of adolescent pregnancies were unintended and neonatal death rate was twice as high than older mothers (26.6 versus 12.0 deaths/1000 live births). The median survival time was two days for adolescent-born babies and four days among older mothers. The hazard of death for all adolescent-born neonates was about twofold that of 20–29 years-old-mothers, HR 1.80 (95% CI 1.22–2.63). Among married adolescents with unintended newborn pregnancies, the HR was 4-folds higher than corresponding older mothers, HR 4.08 (95% CI 1.62–10.31). Among married, primiparous adolescents with unintended pregnancies, the HR was six times higher than corresponding older mothers. Conclusion Our findings reveal how unintended pregnancies and deaths of neonates born to adolescents contribute substantially to preventable neonatal deaths in East Africa. Full implementation of existing adolescent health policies and utilization of contraceptives should be ensured. Partnership with youths and novel efforts that address sociocultural norms to reduce adolescent pregnancies or marriage should be supported. Regulations requiring adolescents’ obstetric care conducted by only skilled personnel should be introduced and implemented.

PROFIL KEJADIAN PERNIKAHAN USIA DINI DI WILAYAH KERJA LUBUK GADANG KECAMATAN SANGIR

The increase in early marriage in Sangir District in 2019 was 31 people, in 2020 38 people and in 2021 as many as 39 people. Early marriage has a psychological, health, and socio-economic impact on adolescents. The purpose of this study was to determine the profile of the incidence of early marriage in the working area of the Lubuk Gadang Health Center, Sangir District, South Solok Regency. The type of research used is quantitative analysis with analytical descriptive method with observational design. all teenagers who got married at an early age from January to December 2021 were 107 teenagers. Sampling technique with total sampling. The data used are primary data and secondary data. Analysis of research results was carried out univariately. The results showed that the age of married adolescents was 15-19 years where as many as 55 people (51.4%) were <21 years old at the time of marriage, 93 people (86.9%) were female, 48 people (44.9%) had education level, namely graduated from junior high school, 47 people (43.9%) have jobs as housewives, 100 people (93.5%) have low incomes and 63 people (58.9%) have low parental income, 55 people ( 51.4%) have legal marriage status, 42 people (39.3%) have sufficient and high knowledge about early marriage, 76 people (71%) have a negative perception. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that there were many factors that led to early marriage, the income factor of parents being the most influencing factor for adolescents. So it is recommended for the working area of the Lubuk Gadang Health Center to be able to often provide health education about the impact of early marriage on adolescents. Keywords: Early Marriage, Knowledge, Adolescent Perceptions, Marital Status

HUBUNGAN ANTARA PENGETAHUAN DAN PERILAKU SEKSUAL PRANIKAH DENGAN USIA PERNIKAHAN DINI DI KECAMATAN BOROBUDUR KABUPATEN MAGELANG

Early marriage is a marriage performed by a male and female couple at the age of puberty (10-19 years). Data from the Ministry of Religion of Magelang Regency from January to September 2020, 1069 marriages were married at the age of 16-21 years and as many as 154 married at the age of 16 years. While the data obtained at the Religious Affairs Office of the Borobudur District, the number of early marriages in 2020 was 11 teenagers and 3 teenagers January to February 2021. The factors that influence early marriage are knowledge, premarital sexual behavior, economy, family and community cultural traditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between knowledge and premarital sexual behavior with early marriage age in Borobudur District Magelang Regency. This research is a quantitative research type of analytic observational research with a cross-sectional approach. The number of samples is all adolescents aged less than 19 years who have married a number of 40 respondents. The sampling technique used was total sampling. The research instrument used a questionnaire sheet. Data analysis used Spearman Rank correlation test. The results showed that the variable related to early marriage age was knowledge (p value = 0.346), and the variable that was not related to early marriage age was premarital sexual behavior (p value = -0.211). From the results of the study, it is hoped that it can provide information and public understanding about premarital sexual knowledge and behavior, so as to prevent the occurrence of early marriage in adolescents

Associations between child and adolescent marriage and reproductive outcomes in Brazil, Ecuador, the United States and Canada

BackgroundAlthough marriage is associated with favourable reproductive outcomes among adult women, it is not known whether the marriage advantage applies to girls (< 18 years). The contribution of girl child marriage (< 18 years) to perinatal health is understudied in the Americas.MethodsNational singleton birth registrations were used to estimate the prevalence of girl child marriage among mothers in Brazil (2011–2018, N = 23,117,661), Ecuador (2014–2018, N = 1,519,168), the USA (2014–2018, N = 18,618,283) and Canada (2008–2018, N = 3,907,610). The joint associations between marital status and maternal age groups (< 18, 18–19 and 20–24 years) with preterm birth (< 37 weeks), small-for-gestational age (SGA < 10 percentile) and repeat birth were assessed with logistic regression.ResultsThe proportion of births to < 18-year-old mothers was 9.9% in Ecuador, 8.9% in Brazil, 1.5% in the United States and 0.9% in Canada, and marriage prevalence among < 18-year-old mothers was 3.0%, 4.8%, 3.7% and 1.7%, respectively. In fully-adjusted models, marriage was associated with lower odds of preterm birth and SGA among 20–24-year-old mothers in the four countries. Compared to unmarried 20–24-year-old women, married and unmarried < 18-year-old girls had higher odds of preterm birth in the four countries, and slightly higher odds of SGA in Brazil and Ecuador but not in the USA and Canada. In comparisons within age groups, the odds of repeat birth among < 18-year-old married mothers exceeded that of their unmarried counterparts in Ecuador [AOR: 1.99, 95%CI: 1.82, 2.18], the USA [AOR: 2.96, 95%CI: 2.79, 3.14], and Canada [AOR: 2.17, 95%CI: 1.67, 2.82], although minimally in Brazil [AOR: 1.09, 95%CI: 1.07, 1.11].ConclusionsThe prevalence of births to < 18-year-old mothers varies considerably in the Americas. Girl child marriage was differentially associated with perinatal health indicators across countries, suggesting context-specific mechanisms.

DINAMIKA PENGAMBILAN KEPUTUSAN PADA PERILAKU BERESIKO (KEHAMILAN TIDAK DIINGINKAN) REMAJA

Unwanted pregnancies that occur outside of marriage in adolescents are problematic because they have wider after-effects academically, financially, and socially. The occurrence of unwanted pregnancy outside of marriage is certainly based on a psychological condition such as decision making at the first time an adolescent engages in risky sexual behavior. This study aims to explore cognitive considerations such as what factors are considered for risky sexual acts and also the cognitive process of risky behavior. The participants in this study were three people consisting of one male and two female who were taken by purposive sampling technique. This study used a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach, while the data collection techniques used interviews and observations. The results of this study indicate that the factors that cause risky behavior (unwanted pregnancy) are 1) the experience of watching pornographic videos, 2) an environment that is accustomed to promiscuity, and 3) trust and comfort when interacting with partners. While systematic decision-making through several stages does not occur, because the risk behavior of individuals is more dominated by emotional states, memories of previous experiences, and the people around them, so that decision-making is more heuristic.

Edukasi Teologis tentang Pernikahan Dini dalam Gereja

RI Law Number 16 of 2019 Article 7 paragraph 1 explains that marriage is allowed if the male and female parties have reached the age of 19 years. If the marriage is carried out below the minimum age stated in the law, then the marriage is classified as early marriage. There are so many problems that can arise due to early marriage, such as: reproductive health problems, psychological problems, even early marriage can affect self-concept in adolescents. In developing this paper, the author uses qualitative research methods with a literature study approach to further review the phenomenon of early marriage in adolescents. That way, the church as a representation of God has responsibility for the reality that is happening. The church, especially the youth pastor, must make young people aware of the importance of finding a life partner according to God's will. As believers, Christian youth not only have to struggle with their soulmate before God, but also have to struggle with whether God wants them to get married or not. Because, the principle of a true Christian life is to marry for the glory of God.

Associations of attitudes and social norms with experiences of intimate partner violence among married adolescents and their husbands in rural Niger: a dyadic cross-sectional study

BackgroundPrior cross-sectional research suggests that both men’s and women’s attitudes towards intimate partner violence (IPV) are predictive of women’s IPV experience, although this can vary greatly by context. In general, women who have experienced IPV are likely to report attitudes accepting of it. Men who perpetrate IPV may also report attitudes accepting of it, although some research has found that there is not always an association. Studies that investigate these dynamics often conflate attitudes with social norms, or use attitudes as a proxy for social norms, given that valid measures on social norms are usually lacking. Here we conduct a secondary data analysis to ask how are men’s and women’s IPV-related attitudes associated with women’s reports of IPV and how are men’s and women’s perceived social norms associated with women’s reports of IPV.MethodsDyadic data were collected from a representative sample of married adolescent girls and their husbands in 48 rural villages of the Dosso region of Niger (N = 1010). Assessments included logistic regression analyses of husbands’ and wives’ reports of individual attitudes towards IPV, and social norms based on husbands’ and wives’ perceptions of their communities’ beliefs related to gender roles and acceptability of IPV.ResultsEight percent of women in this sample reported IPV. We found that, consistent with other research, wives who have reported IPV are more likely to report attitudes in support of IPV, while for husbands whose wives report IPV, that relationship is insignificant. On the other hand, husbands who report that people in their community believe there are times when a woman deserves to be beaten are more likely to have perpetrated IPV, while for wives there is no association between the community norm and IPV reporting. Finally, wives who report that people in their community hold inequitable gender norms in general are more likely to have experienced IPV, while for husbands, community gender norms are not predictive of whether their wives have reported IPV.ConclusionsOur results are evidence that IPV prevention interventions focused solely on individual attitudes may be insufficient. Targeting and assessment of social norms are likely critical to advancing understanding and prevention of IPV.

Impact of Geographic Conditions on Sirri Marriage Phenomenon in Situbondo District

This study aims to determine the impact of the geographical conditions of an area on the phenomenon of sirri marriage through a qualitative study. Data analysis was carried out inductively from the results of observations, in-depth interviews and FGDs. The results of the study indicate that the phenomenon of unregistered marriage occurs in Sumber Malang, Situbondo, East Java as a result of the geographical conditions of the area. The topographical conditions of the area in the form of mountainous areas with an altitude of 500-1,250 meters above sea level, very steep with a slope of 45%, rocky and dry soils make the Sumber Malang area difficult to develop economically. This is because agricultural cultivation is difficult to develop. Furthermore, the accessibility of areas that are difficult to reach because they are far inland, narrow roads, no public transportation, far from the center of economic activity have caused people in this area to choose to stay in their environment. Topography and regional accessibility have an impact on adolescent marriage behavior in the Sumber Malang community. Adolescents and parents view unregistered marriage as something that is done to avoid sin, the certainty of a relationship, economic motives (because the cost of marriage is considered expensive by the community) and as a result of the remote location of the area; because the teenager only has a circle of friends in Sumbermalang. There are two patterns of sirri marriage that occur, namely teenagers will marry sirri and live together and teenagers will marry sirri then stay with their parents and still continue their education. The implication of this research is to provide an illustration that geographical space can affect the pattern of marriage that occurs in society. Based on this, the relevant government can provide adequate access to education at the research sites.&#x0D; Keywords : Sirri's Marriage; geographical condition; topography; accessibility&#x0D; &#x0D; Copyright (c) 2022 Geosfera Indonesia and Department of Geography Education, University of Jember&#x0D; This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share A like 4.0 International License

Determinants of Adolescents Pregnancy and Access to Reproductive Health Services in Niger Delta, Nigeria

This study investigated the determinants of adolescents’ pregnancy and access to reproductive health services in Niger Delta region, Nigeria. Two research questions and two research hypotheses were employed. Research design was descriptive survey design. Research instrument was a structured questionnaire. The population comprised of married female adolescents (3,027) in Rivers State. One thousand (1,000) participants were sample through purposive sampling technique. The reliability of the instrument yielded 0.87. The descriptive statistics of simple percentages and mean scores were used to analyze the data while the inferential statistics of simple regression and ANOVA were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha levels. The study revealed that all the independent variables (poverty and cultural beliefs) were significance correlates of adolescents’ pregnancy and access to reproductive health services in Niger Delta region, Nigeria. It was therefore recommended that Ministry and parents must solve the problem of poverty on the access of female adolescents’ pregnancy productive health services in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Traditional herbalist and parent should identify the effect of cultural belief on the access of female adolescents’ pregnancy productive health services in Niger Delta, Nigeria.

The perinatal epidemiology of child and adolescent marriage in Brazil, 2011–2018

Brazil is one of the top contributors of girl child marriages in the world and one of the United Nations’ members that committed to end child marriage by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Child marriage is an indicator of gender inequality associated with poor health outcomes. However, the perinatal epidemiology of minor mothers (<18 years) according to marital status has been insufficiently studied. We used 23,163,209 birth registrations (2011–2018) to describe the sociodemographic distribution of births to minor mothers. The association between adverse outcomes and marital status and maternal age was restricted to 7,953,739 births of mothers aged ≤15, 16–17, 18–19, 20–24 years. Multinomial logistic models were used for very (24–31 weeks) and moderately preterm birth (32–36 weeks), and severe (<3rd percentile) and moderately small-for-gestational age (SGA) (3rd to <10th percentile). Logistic models were used for binary outcomes. The proportion of births to minor mothers in the study period was 8.9%, composed of those of single (6.1%), common-law (2.4%) and married girls (0.4%). Births to minor mothers decreased over time (p-value <0.001), were more common in the North Region (13.2%) and among Indigenous (17.4%). Very and moderately preterm birth increased with decreasing age but within each age group, rates were highest among single, followed by common-law and lowest among married mothers. A similar pattern was observed for SGA, low Apgar and late prenatal care initiation. Repeat birth and low age-appropriate education were less common among married compared to single mothers in all age groups, except among ≤15-year-olds [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 2.56; 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI): 2.40, 2.74 and AOR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.03, 1.64, respectively]. The association between perinatal indicators and marital status among adolescents is strongly modified by decreasing maternal age. Marital status is relevant for the understanding of early pregnancies.

The role of education in child and adolescent marriage in rural lowland Nepal.

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.

FAKTOR YANG BERHUBUNGAN DENGAN PERNIKAHAN DINI PADA REMAJA PUTRI DI DESA NANOW KECAMATAN TELUK DALAM

Background Early marriage is a marriage carried out by someone who is still at an early age or still in his teens. Matchmaking habits still exist in Nias, North Sumatra, because women are not allowed to be close to men, let alone dating. don't know each other. The facts show that 36.7% of early marriages were requested by their parents and 0.9% were forced by their parents to marry. The biggest impact of early marriage and forced marriage is exploitation and violence against women as wives in the household. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with early marriage in adolescent girls in Nanowa Village, Telukdalam District. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with early marriage in adolescent girls in Nanowa Village, Telukdalam District in 2020. The research design used is quantitative method, which is a means to test objective theory by examining the relationship between variables. The method used in this research is a survey with a correlational approach. The population in this study were 110 young women in Nanowa Village, Telukdalam District, the sampling in this study was 52 people using the Slovin formula. Subsequent studies were analyzed using univariate and bivariate data analysis. The results of the study with a chi-square at a=0.05 with a knowledge variable p-value 0.031 (p&lt;0.05), economic p-value 0.000 (p&lt;0.05), social p-value 0.005 (p&lt;0.05), and cultural p-value 0.010 (p&lt;0.05) so that it shows that there is a relationship between knowledge, economy, association and culture with early marriage in adolescents. The conclusion is that there is a relationship between knowledge, economy, association, and culture with early marriage in young women in Nanowa village, Telukdalam sub-distric

Adolescent marriage and motherhood in Turkey: A qualitative study exploring determinants, impacts and opinions about preventive strategies.

This study aimed to understand the determinants of child marriages, becoming a child mother, their impacts and opinions about preventive strategies. The phenomenological research approach was adopted with one-to-one semi-structured interviews between December 2017 and May 2018. The population of the study consisted of 36 adolescent married mothers registered in the Family Health Centres. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and evaluated based on a thematic analysis was conducted. In the study, four main themes and 12 subthemes were determined. Adolescent marriages determinants occurred as patriarchal cultural norms, the perception that girls would be safe under the protection of another man, and poverty. Adolescent brides experienced partner violence and were subjected to physical, psychological and sexual violence in their marriage. Adolescent mothers had low maternal self-confidence, childcare challenges and were late to take on childcare responsibilities, and their children were neglected. As a result of early marriage, the participants experienced psychological problems and burnout later in their lives. Improving family-child communication, and eliminating financial inadequacies were among the opinions on prevention strategies of child marriages. The findings of this study identified the determinants and impact of adolescent marriages and revealed the problems experienced by adolescent brides and mothers. The most important contribution of this study is that it deals with the motherhood experiences. In addition, it is one of the important findings of this study that it draws attention to their neglected children's due to lack of knowledge and experience of their mothers about childcare.

The Provider Role and Perspective in the Denial of Family Planning Services to Women in Malawi: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Family planning (FP) has been a global health priority for decades, yet barriers persist, including women being turned away from facilities without receiving services. This study assessed the provider role and perspective in client turnaway in three districts of Malawi. In 2019, data collectors surveyed 57 FP providers from 30 health facilities. All reported being comfortable providing FP to married women with children and married adolescents under 18 years old with children, whereas 12% of the providers expressed discomfort providing such services to married adolescents under 18 without children. Sixty percent of the providers required clients desiring FP and wishing to initiate oral contraceptives or injectables to be currently menstruating. Data collectors later conducted in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 8 of the 57 providers about client turnaway. During IDIs, providers’ most frequently mentioned reasons for turnaway was client pregnancy or suspicion of pregnancy. Providers expressed fears that initiating FP with a pregnant woman could cause community mistrust in the efficacy of modern contraception. Provider support for FP waned for nulliparous clients, regardless of age or marital status. To improve FP services in Malawi, providers need continuous education on all available methods of FP, a reduction in stockouts and programs to further sensitize the community to how contraception works. Understanding how Malawi has helped providers overcome social and cultural norms regarding provision of FP to adolescents might help other countries to make improvements.

Fostering gender equality and reproductive and sexual health among adolescents: results from a quasi-experimental study in Northern Uganda

ObjectiveTo assess the impact of the Gender Roles, Equality and Transformations (GREAT) intervention: a narrative-based, resource-light, life-stage tailored intervention package designed to promote gender-equitable attitudes and behaviours, and improve sexual...

Partner’s characteristics and adolescent motherhood among married adolescent girls in 48 low-income and middle-income countries: a population-based study

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of adolescent motherhood among married adolescent girls and its associations with their partners’ characteristics in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).DesignPopulation-based...

Marriage Law Perspective Against Underage Marriage

Underage marriages have been happening in Indonesia for a long time, especially in rural communities that are categorized as not yet advanced in their level of education, economy, or because of the local community's traditions. From the perspective of the Marriage Law, this is contrary to the provisions of Article 7 paragraph (1) of Law Number 16 of 2019 and is contrary to the purpose of marriage is to form an eternal family based on God Almighty. Early marriage in adolescents impacts the physical aspect and psychological impact on the perpetrators. The research method is empirical juridical research. The research specification in this study is descriptive-analytical. The study results show that the existence of underage marriages, this indicates that Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage and Government Regulation Number 9 of 1975 concerning Implementing Regulations of Law Number 1 of 1974, is less effective. Given the existence of underage marriages, many divorces occur because the marriages are carried out by children who are still underage, so they have not been able to carry out the purpose of marriage fully.

Rethinking climate change through a gender and adolescent lens in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Ethiopia is increasingly experiencing the impacts of climate change, with stark consequences for the most disadvantaged groups, including youth, women and girls. Within climate action, there is limited understanding of how climate change responses address age and gender vulnerabilities. This article uses a gender and adolescence lens to explore how Ethiopia’s climate mitigation and adaptation responses shape progress towards three Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 (gender equality) targets using a capabilities approach. It draws on qualitative data from the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) longitudinal study with adolescents aged 10–20, their parents and key informants, in three diverse regions. It finds that although climate mitigation strategies (including gender-sensitive social protection measures) are impacting gender equality positively by increasing access to water and supporting food-insecure households in times of drought, substantial challenges remain. The findings underscore that while climate actions are increasingly gender-responsive, they are less responsive to the age-specific vulnerabilities of adolescents, especially girls. To accelerate progress and ensure inclusive climate action, adolescent participation should be promoted at all levels, and climate actions should reach the most vulnerable populations, including those in remote rural communities and particularly vulnerable groups such as married adolescents.

Intersecting Disadvantages for Married Adolescents: Life After Marriage Pre- and Post-COVID-19 in Contexts of Displacement

PurposeAlthough there is a growing evidence base on the drivers of child marriage, comparatively little is known about the experiences of married girls in refugee settings and how their development trajectories diverge from those of their nonmarried peers, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on cross-national panel data from Bangladesh and Jordan, this article explores diversity in child marriage experiences in contexts affected by forced displacement, highlighting how married girls’ well-being differs from that of their unmarried peers, and how COVID-19 has reinforced these differences. MethodsWe analyzed longitudinal survey data—collected pre- and post-COVID-19—from the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence study with 293 ever-married and 1,102 never-married adolescent girls. Multivariate regression analysis assessed the well-being of married and unmarried girls across contexts and refugee status, both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. These quantitative data are complemented by in-depth qualitative data from adolescents (n = 112), and key informant interviews with service providers and community leaders (n = 62). ResultsOur findings highlight that married girls in contexts affected by displacement are disadvantaged in multiple ways, but that the patterning of disadvantage varies across contexts, and that marriage can also have protective effects in certain contexts. The COVID-19 pandemic has, however, served to exacerbate existing inequalities in all contexts. DiscussionAlthough child marriage prevention efforts remain critical, there is also an urgent need for programming that targets married girls in refugee and host communities to mitigate negative outcomes among this vulnerable group.