Reduce Child Marriage Research Articles

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TRENGGALEK REGENT'S 2022 INSTRUCTIONS ON CHILD MARRIAGE PREVENTION STRATEGIESIN TRENGGALEK

The high rate of child marriage in Trenggalek poses a significant threat to children's welfare. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Trenggalek Regent's 2022 Instruction on Strategies for Preventing Child Marriage. The research employs a qualitative approach, collecting primary data through statistical analysis of child marriage rates and interviews with relevant stakeholders. The findings reveal a notable decrease in child marriage rates in 2023 following the implementation of the policy. This suggests that well-designed and sustained policy interventions can effectively address child marriage issues at the local level. The study highlights the importance of ongoing efforts in education, law enforcement, and collaboration among policymakers to safeguard children's welfare. This research contributes to the understanding of effective local strategies in combating child marriage. The study concludes that comprehensive policies, backed by strong stakeholder support, are effective in reducing child marriage rates. Recommendations include strengthening stakeholder collaboration and developing more efficient communication strategies.

Child marriage and quality of marriage among young married women in a rural district, Lorestan Province, Iran

PurposeChild marriage remains a significant socio-cultural phenomenon with profound implications for the quality of marital relationships, particularly among young women. This study investigates the association between child marriage and the quality of marriage among young married women in Iran.MethodsThis study employed a population-based cross-sectional research design. A total of 70 young women, aged 18–20 years, who had married before reaching 18 years of age, were selected from four primary health care (PHC) centers in Papi District, Lorestan Province, Iran, employing a systematic random sampling approach. Subjects were categorized into women experiencing relationship distress and those without such distress using the Quality of Marriage Index (QMI). Concurrently, their level of sexual satisfaction was assessed utilizing the Hudson’s Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS). Furthermore, Social Support was evaluated using the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ).ResultsThe mean age (SD) of women was 18.9 (0.7) years, and their mean age (SD) of marriage was 15.2 (2.1) years. Women experiencing distress showed significant differences in age of menarche (P = 0.006), education levels (P = 0.039), spouses’ education (P = 0.025), spouses’ occupations (P = 0.004), household income satisfaction (P = 0.041), and household structure (P = 0.045). Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis revealed significant and positive correlations between sexual self-efficacy and social support with marital quality (r = 0.73, p < 0.001 and r = 0.55, p < 0.001, respectively). Conversely, there was a significant negative correlation between the score of indexes of sexual satisfaction and marital quality (r = -0.65, p < 0.001).ConclusionThese findings emphasize the complex factors affecting marital quality and underscore the urgent need for interventions to support young women in early marriages. It is essential to reinforce policies aimed at reducing child marriage to improve the quality of marriage among young married women.

Reducing child marriage in sub-Saharan Africa: Evaluating the joint potential of protective marriage and education policies

The public health burden associated with child marriage is undeniable. To combat this practice, there has been widespread passage of national minimum-age-of-marriage policies. However, evidence on their effectiveness has been mixed. Policies that guarantee access to education may also be needed to create a viable alternative to marriage. Prior studies have not considered the complementary influence of tuition-free education policies, nor tested for potential synergy between the two policies. We conducted a natural experiment to better quantify the relationship between protective marriage laws (those that establish a minimum age of 18 even with parental consent) and tuition free secondary education on the frequency of child marriage and births, considering both the individual and synergistic contribution of the two policies. We linked globally-comparable data on national policies to multiple rounds of DHS data (2003–2021) from 16 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We used two-way fixed effects (TWFE) models to evaluate the relationship between policy change and child marriage among women aged 15–26. Neither policy alone had a statistically significant effect on either child marriage or early fertility. However, the interaction terms were significant, suggesting that implementing both a new protective marriage policy and free tuition during the observation period had a significant impact on lowering early marriage and births. This impact was more pronounced for outcomes under age 15 as compared to those under age 18. This study provides a better understanding of what policies matter to effectively reduce child marriage. While it is possible that each policy marginally contributes to a reduction in child marriage, our evidence suggests that both protective marriage policies and tuition-fee secondary school are needed to have a meaningful impact.

Association of child marriage and nutritional status of mothers and their under-five children in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study with a nationally representative sample

BackgroundChild marriage remains an important problem around the world with young mothers and their under-five children often experiencing under-nutrition. The problem is rarely studied in the Bangladeshi population. This paper was designed to identify the association between child marriage and nutritional status of mothers and their under-five children in Bangladesh.MethodsNationally representative secondary data was used for this study, data was extracted from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017–18. The sample consisted of 7235 mothers aged 18–49 years and their under-five children. The mothers were classified into two classes according to their age at first marriage: (i) child marriage (marriage at < 18 years) and (ii) not child marriage (marriage at ≥ 18 years). The nutritional status of mothers was measured by body mass index (BMI), and under-five children’s nutritional status was measured by (i) height-for-age (z-score) (stunting), (ii) weight-for-age (z-score) (underweight), and (iii) weight-for-height (z-score) (wasting). The chi-square test and two-level logistic regression model were used for data analysis using SPSS software (IBM version 20).ResultsThe prevalence of child marriage among Bangladeshi women was 69.0%, with the mean and median of age at the first marriage being 16.57 ± 2.83 years and 16 years, respectively. Of the mothers, 15.2% suffered from chronic energy deficiency (underweight), and 72.8% were married at < 18 years. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting among under-five children in Bangladesh was 31.0%, 22.0%, and 8.5%, respectively. Compared to women married at the age of ≥ 18 years, there was a significantly higher likelihood of chronic energy deficiency among women who married at < 18 years [Adjusted OR = 1.27, CI: 1.05–1.82; p < 0.05]. Under-five children of mothers married before the age of 18 were more likely to have stunting [Adjusted OR = 1.201, CI: 1.11–1.72; p < 0.05], wasting [Adjusted OR = 1.519, CI: 1.15-2.00; p < 0.01], and underweight [Adjusted OR = 1.150, CI: 1.09–1.82; p < 0.05] compared to children of mothers who married at age ≥ 18.ConclusionThe rate of child marriage among Bangladeshi women is high, and it is significantly associated with malnutrition among mothers and their under-five children. The Bangladesh government can use the findings of this study to prevent and reduce child marriage and malnutrition among mothers and their under-five children to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030.

Adolescent Childbearing and Associated Factors in Vietnam

This research examines the factors influencing adolescent girl childbirth in Vietnam by employing data from the 2019 Vietnam Population and Housing Census and socio-ecological theory. The research underscores the substantial impact of environmental systems on adolescent childbirth, encompassing age, marital status, educational level, living area, and ethnicity. Higher adolescent birth rates are observed among older adolescents, ethnic minorities, and those with lower levels of education; this highlights the significance of cultural norms, restricted healthcare access, and poverty in influencing these results. The study emphasizes the importance of education, access to healthcare, and community support in mitigating the occurrence of pregnancies among adolescents. It further advocates for focused interventions that enhance the development of human capital, with a specific focus on rural regions and ethnic minority populations. To lessen the hazards associated with adolescent pregnancy, the study recommends policies that reduce child marriage and early motherhood and enhance education and knowledge on sexual and reproductive health.

Implementation of the Marriage Dispensation: Exploring the Legal and Social Complexities in Preventing Early Marriage

The Marriage Law has undergone changes as Law No. 16 of 2019 concerning Amendments to Law no. 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage, where previously the minimum age limit for being permitted to enter into marriage was 19 (nineteen) years for men and 16 (sixteen) years for women, now it is 19 (nineteen) years for both men and women . Based on this description, the purpose of this research is to explore the implementation of the granting of a marriage dispensation by the Madiun City Religious Court in reducing underage marriages, after the amendment to the marriage law. This study explores aspects of the implementation of the marriage dispensation as well as the constraints that exist in its application. This research method uses empirical juridical, with a qualitative approach. The results of the research show that the procedure for granting dispensation for marriage at the Madiun City Religious Court is that not everything can be done. There were several applications for dispensation that were actually rejected. The refusal is certainly an attempt to reduce child marriage underage. For example, there are reasons for children who are forced to marry or children who still want to continue their education. The obstacle that occurs in this implementation is that there are parents who are forced to continue their child's marriage. Legal protection for children with this has not been realized properly, given the interests of children who must be sacrificed.

The Controversy on the Minimum Age for Marriage in Indonesia: Factors and Implications

In 2019, Indonesia redefined the minimum age limit for marriage with the aim of achieving gender equality and reducing child marriage rates. Unfortunately, this legal reform did not entirely succeed and, instead, created a paradox within Indonesian society. This study aims to investigate the controversy surrounding the minimum age for marriage as stipulated in Indonesian Marriage Laws. The paper employs a socio-legal approach, collecting data through legal material investigation and interviews. The research indicates that the reformation attempt brings about at least three undesired implications: an increase in the number of marriage dispensations, child marriages, and pre-marital pregnancies. These paradoxes appear to be influenced by several factors: (1) the public's minimal awareness of the current marriage law, (2) the lack of socialization from government bodies, and (3) regulatory inconsistency itself. Theoretically, instead of resolving issues within society, it turns out that the legal changes initiated by the state do not significantly trigger changes within society.

“Jo Kawin Bocah” Social Movement to Reduce Child Marriage Rates in Central Java

The “Jo Kawin Bocah” (Javanese term for “No Child Marriage”) movement implemented by the Central Java Government over the past two years has significantly reduced the number of child marriages in Central Java province. This research aims to analyze the concept of “Jo Kawin Bocah” as a government-sponsored movement, identify the critical success factors, and explore the concept in terms maqāṣid al-sharī'ah (Sharia objectives). This field research uses a qualitative approach and deductive thinking, with data collected from interviews and documentation. The findings show that the social movement is feasible because stakeholders are aware of the negative impacts of early marriage. Another critical success factor is the involvement of community members and district/city leaders and collaboration between civil society organizations, the government, educational institutions, and other cross-sector organizations. Viewed from the maqāṣid al-sharī'ah side, the social movement “Jo Kawin Bocah” can realize the protection of the soul (ḥifẓ al-nafs), protection of the mind (ḥifẓ al-‘aql), protection of assets (ḥifẓ al-māl), and protection of offspring (ḥifẓ al-nasl). This research implies that increasing awareness about the negative consequences of early marriage is the key to the success of social movements.

Social determinants of health and adolescent childbearing in WHO Eastern Mediterranean countries

ObjectivesTeenage pregnancy and motherhood is a crucial problem in countries of the World Health Organisation Eastern Mediterranean Region (WHO–EMR). The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse the phenomenon of adolescent childbearing in ten countries according to social determinants like milieu (rural–urban), education level, wealth quintiles, territoriality (countries, regions) and nationality.MethodsInequity in terms of adolescent childbearing was analysed using disaggregated data given by Demographic Health Surveys (DHS), UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and the Pan Arab Project for Family Health (PAPFAM) surveys. Beside the absolute differences (gaps) and relative differences (ratios), the index of dissimilarity (ID) was used to compare the distributions of adolescent pregnancy and motherhood by social determinants in each country.ResultsData analysis indicates that the average percentage of adolescent women aged 15–19 years who have begun childbearing shows a large difference between countries, varying from 0.4% in Tunisia to 15.1% in Sudan, combined with huge gaps within each country as indicated by the values of the index of dissimilarity. Poor, rural and non-educated adolescent girls are more exposed to teenage childbearing than their counterparts—rich, urban and educated girls.ConclusionAccording to different social determinants, sensible variations are seen in terms of adolescent pregnancy and motherhood within the ten countries considered in this study. This is a clear appeal to decision makers to reduce child marriage and pregnancy by acting on social determinants of health, targeting disadvantaged girls coming mainly from marginalised groups and poor families living in remote rural zones.

Child marriage could be history by 2030, or last 300 more years

By age 18 years, Lalitbai was a married mother of three children. She became a child bride when she was 13 years old. At age 32 years, Lalitbai was a widow and cast out of her extended family. With no money or education, she worked tirelessly as a day labourer, eventually starting her own small bakery. She now speaks openly, with neighbours and in local gatherings, about stopping child marriage. Lalitbai lives in India, the country with the largest number of child brides worldwide. 1 UNICEFIs an end to child marriage within reach? Latest trends and future prospects, 2023 update. United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY2023https://data.unicef.org/resources/is-an-end-to-child-marriage-within-reach/Date accessed: May 3, 2023 Google Scholar Yet India is also making progress in reducing child marriage. According to UNICEF's Is an End to Child Marriage within Reach? Latest Trends and Future Prospects, 2023 Update, released on May 3, 2023, since 2012, the percentage of young women aged 20–24 years who were married as children worldwide has fallen from 23% to 19%, and a substantial portion of this progress is driven by reductions in India. 1 UNICEFIs an end to child marriage within reach? Latest trends and future prospects, 2023 update. United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY2023https://data.unicef.org/resources/is-an-end-to-child-marriage-within-reach/Date accessed: May 3, 2023 Google Scholar In the past decade the prevalence of child marriage in this country has declined from 38% to 23%. 2 UNICEFEnding child marriage: a profile of progress in India, 2023 update. United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY2023https://data.unicef.org/resources/ending-child-marriage-a-profile-of-progress-in-india-2023Date accessed: May 3, 2023 Google Scholar

Labour Market Outcomes and Child Marriage: Evidence from BRAC's Skills Training Programme

Inadequate employment opportunities and child marriage are major challenges for female adolescents in many developing countries. Using panel data on a group of 14-18-year-old Bangladeshi adolescents receiving vocational skills training from BRAC and a group of non-participants, this paper analyses the impact of skills training on labour supply, earnings, and child marriage. The intervention is found to significantly increase adolescents' labour market participation and income, with the impacts being higher for girls. It also significantly reduces the possibility of female adolescents being married off before the minimum legal age, indicating that labour market participation is likely to reduce child marriage among them.

Effectiveness of interventions to reduce child marriage and teen pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review of quantitative evidence.

Child marriage and teen pregnancy have negative health, social and development consequences. Highest rates of child marriage occur in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and 40% of women in Western and Central Africa got married before the age of 18. This systematic review was aimed to fill a gap in evidence of effectiveness to reduce teen pregnancy and child marriage in SSA. We considered studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa that reported on the effect of interventions on child marriage and teen pregnancy among adolescent girls for inclusion. We searched major databses and grey literature sources. We included 30 articles in this review. We categorized the interventions reported in the review into five general categories: (a) Interventions aimed to build educational assets, (b) Interventions aimed to build life skills and health assets, (c) Wealth building interventions, and (d) Community dialogue. Only few interventions were consistently effective across the studies included in the review. The provision of scholarship and systematically implemented community dialogues are consistently effective across settings. Program designers aiming to empower adolescent girls should address environmental factors, including financial barriers and community norms. Future researchers should consider designing rigorous effectiveness and cost effectiveness studies to ensure sustainability. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42022327397.

Growth failure among children of adolescent mothers at ages 0-5 and 6-12 years in India.

Adolescent motherhood has been linked with poor health outcomes at birth for children, including high neonatal mortality, low birthweight, and small-for-gestational-age rates. However, longer-term growth outcomes in the children of adolescent mothers in low-resource settings remain inadequately studied. We used longitudinal data from the India Human Development Surveys, 2004-2005 and 2011-2012 (n = 12,182) and employed regression and propensity score matching analysis to compare the following growth indicators of children born to adolescent mothers (ages 19 years or below) with those born to older mothers. Growth indicators included height and weight during ages 0-5 years and 6-12 years and change in height and weight between the two periods. In regression-based estimates, children born to adolescent mothers were 0.01 m shorter and weighed 0.2kg less than children of older mothers at ages 0-5 years. At ages 6-12 years, those born to adolescent mothers were 0.02 m shorter and weighed 0.97kg less. The height difference between the two groups increased by 0.01 m and the weight difference grew by 0.77kg over time. Height and weight difference between the two groups worsened among boys over time, while for girls, only the weight gap worsened. The results were similar when using propensity score matching methods. Public policies for reducing child marriage, combined with targeted health, nutrition, and well-being programs for adolescent mothers, are essential for both preventing adolescent childbearing and reducing its impact on growth failure among children in India.

The Roles of UNFPA-UNICEF in the Case of Child Marriage in Yemen 2016-2019

This research is motivated by the fact that currently child marriage is a form of violation of human rights and is an indicator of various other global health problems. Yemen is one of the largest contributors to child marriage cases in the Middle East and Yemen is home to 4 million child brides, and 1.4 million of it got married before the age of 15. This study aims to analyze and describe the role of UNFPA-UNICEF in the accelerate action to End Child Marriage program to reduce child marriage in Yemen in 2016-2019. This study uses qualitative research methods and uses a collection technique for collecting data of library research using secondary data collected from UNFPA and UNICEF annual reports, books, journals, articles and internet media. The results of this study show that the global implementation of the UNFPA-UNICEF program has had an impact on reducing child marriage in Yemen

Penggunaan Pendekatan System Thinking dalam Penyusunan Policy Paper Penurunan Angka Kawin Anak di Jepara

The excessive rate of child marriage has a systemic impact on the future of children and the quality of family life. This phenomenon is shown by the number of submissions for marriage dispensation recommendations at the Religious Courts in recent years. In 2021, the main factors behind the application for a recommendation for dispensation for underage marriages are due to pregnancy (157 applications or 40.7%), avoiding adultery (155 applications or 40.2%), getting pregnant (44 applications or 11.4%) and had had sex (29 submissions or 7.5%). Of the 385 applications for a marriage dispensation recommendation, only 246 applications (63.7%) were granted by the Religious Courts. Child marriage will have a systemic impact, including decreasing the quality of life of women, children and families, increasing poverty rates and vulnerability to families. This activity aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of the factors that cause child marriage and formulate strategies and policies to reduce child marriage rates in Jepara, using the multi-stakeholder Focus Group Discussion method and the iceberg analysis model and U theory. trends, structures, mental models and sources that lead to high child marriages as well as the formulation of new mental models, program designs and policies to reduce child marriage rates in a more sustainable, comprehensive and integrated manner.

Perceptions on Interventions to Empower Girls and Families to Reduce Child Marriage in Kampung Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Child marriage is a social phenomenon where girls and boys are married before they reached 18 years old, which usually occurs through an arranged marriage. Oftentimes, these children are living in poverty, and lack access to healthcare and education. In contemporary society, child marriage is still existed and deems as a survival mechanism for the poor. However, passing the minimum marriage age would consume time thus drastic action should undertake to protect these children and exercising their rights. The study aims to ascertain the interventions to empower girls and families to reduce child marriage. Three variables were tested, namely the conditional cash transfer program, educational program, and economic entrusting program, which was successfully undertaken in Third World countries to enable girls to be treated equally in society. A survey was conducted on 116 public persons in Kampung Seri Menanti who met the inclusive criteria of the research. The preliminary findings indicated that these three types of intervention would potentially influence the girl and support family empowerment against child marriage in the country. The research also has practical implications.

Multiple Impacts of Ethiopia’s Health Extension Program on Adolescent Health and Well-Being: A Quasi-Experimental Study 2002–2013

PurposeEthiopia has registered remarkable achievements in reaching global development goals, including reducing child marriage. Policymakers are keen to understand which investments have contributed to this. We evaluated the association between Ethiopia’s Health Extension Program (HEP) and 12 adolescent health and wellbeing outcomes. MethodsWe used Young Lives Ethiopia cohort data between 2002 and 2013. We evaluated associations between household support from HEP at age 15 and 12 adolescent outcomes spread across health, gender-based violence, education, and employment at age 19 using the inverse probability of treatment weighting propensity score approach, stratifying by sex. Adjusted probability differences (APDs) and adjusted mean differences (AMDs) were used to contrast exposure to HEP versus no exposure. ResultsOf 775 adolescents with complete follow-up, 46% were female. Sixty-six percent of adolescents reported support from HEP, with higher rates of support in poorer, less educated, and rural households, particularly in Tigray Province. In boys, HEP was positively associated with education enrolment (APD: +20 percentage points [ppts], 95% confidence interval [CI]: +9 ppts, +31 ppts) and literacy (AMD: +6 ppts, 95% CI: +0.2, +11), and negatively associated with >4 hours in income-generating activities per day (APD: −19 ppts, 95% CI: −30 ppts, −9 ppts). In girls, HEP was positively associated with no child marriage (APD: +16 ppts, 95% CI: +4 ppts, +27 ppts), no adolescent pregnancy (APD: +17 ppts, 95% CI: +6 ppts, +28 ppts), education enrolment (APD: +27 ppts, 95% CI: +15 ppts, +39 ppts), literacy (AMD: +5 ppts, 95% CI: +0.2, +11), and numeracy (AMD: +8 ppts, 95% CI: +3; +13). DiscussionPolicies promoting HEP are likely to have supported improvements in multiple areas of adolescents’ lives in Ethiopia.

An Exploration of Social Norms That Restrict Girls’ Sexuality and Facilitate Child Marriage in Bangladesh to Inform Policies and Programs

PurposeDespite international commitments and increases in education and economic opportunities for girls and young women, child marriage persists and, in some contexts, reductions have stagnated. In order to accelerate and sustain progress, a better understanding of the social norms that continue to support the practice is required. MethodsThis qualitative study used 20 in-depth interviews with adolescent girls and another 10 with boys, a total of 16 focus group discussions with girls, boys, and parents of adolescent girls, and 8 key informant interviews with community leaders, to identify and understand the expectations that support the practice of child marriage, in communities in northern Bangladesh. ResultsExpectations that girls will restrict their mobility, limit their engagement with male peers, and take extremely limited decision-making roles in their marriage reinforce the practice of child marriage. Girls, and their families, that are considered at risk of or are perceived to have violated these norms face immense pressure for early marriage to mitigate damage to both their own and their families’ reputations. DiscussionSocial norms that are primarily engineered to control girls’ sexuality continue to underpin the practice of child marriage in Bangladesh. Efforts to reduce child marriage such as through increased education or economic opportunities must also address these norms if substantial reductions are to be achieved and sustained in the long-term.

Menekan Perkawinan Anak Melalui Keberpihakan Akses Perempuan di Indonesia

Child marriage in Indonesia is the highest in the world. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics recorded 1.220.990 girls in Indonesia were married before 18. This article uses literature research to describe the impact of child marriage and policymakers' strategic steps and efforts to curb the high rate of child marriage in Indonesia. Early marriage leads to a vicious cycle of low educational attainment, domestic violence, health, maternal and child health, high maternal mortality, and poverty. As marriage ages, regulation has been changing as a strategy to reduce child marriage. Unfortunately, there is no specific regulation of the marriage dispensation, which creates a gap in the number of weddings and the regulatory aspects of strategic efforts, providing women with immediate access to education, health, and work. Ensuring fair and equitable access between men and women is carried out to the maximum extent from a gender perspective in development policies strategies in Indonesia.

Assessing the Effective Communication Channels to Reduce Child and Adolescent Marriage in Rural Communities of Egypt

BACKGROUND: Low levels of scholarly achievement, poverty, and geographical isolation are all known to be linked to early marriage. AIM: This study aimed at identifying the most credible and the best-suited communication channels (CCs) to reach rural communities for motivating them to reduce child and adolescent marriage. METHODS: This study was a community-based cross-sectional systematic formative research. The study targeted 1000 wives who were ever married women in childbearing period aged 15–49 years and their husbands in 21 rural village units of two governorates of Upper Egypt through questionnaires. Decisions concerning the choice of the best-suited CCs were based on their reach, frequency, managerial feasibility, and effectiveness. The investigated CCs included: modern social media (search browser engine/Facebook group and/or twitter/YouTube or messaging through WhatsApp or any mobile app), traditional mass media (T.V/Radio/Reading), and interpersonal communication (talk with religious leaders/partners/friends/doctors/health promoters). Comparisons between different CCs were done using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: A vast majority of the surveyed wives (96.6%) were married at an age ranging from 15 to 24 years. The spread of social media through smartphones was limited to only one-third of wives and their husbands through mainly searching on YouTube (31.7% of wives and 27.8% of husbands). Television was the most accessible means of mass media for both wives and husbands (72.5% and 63.3%, respectively). The most credible and the best-suited CCs methods for wives were talking with the health promotors and doctors with 2 times significantly higher (OR = 2.0, CI = 1.7–2.4 for each one) than that with the search on YouTube and 3 times significantly higher (OR = 3.1, CI = 2.5–3.7 and OR = 3.1, CI = 2.6–3.8, respectively) than that for social media using browser engine. For husbands, the odds of the most credible and the best-suited CCs methods were more than 1½ times higher for the talk with the health promotors than the search on You Tube (OR = 1.6, CI = 1.3–2.0) or the search using browser engine (OR = 1.6, CI = 1.3–1.9), Whereas the odds were one and a third higher for the talk with the doctor than the search on You Tube (OR = 1.3, CI = 1.1–1.6) or the search using browser engine (OR = 1.6, CI= 1.1–1.6). Significant difference was detected in favor of the traditional media as the most credible source of information only for wives’ intention to postpone their children early marriage. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the availability of recent social media worldwide, rural communities with high illiteracy have limited access to the internet and limited availability of smartphones. Interpersonal communication is considered their most effective CCs for achieving equity in reducing child marriage. It seems vital during the implementation of any strategies toward reproductive health to use not only the media broadcasts, but also to rely on the channels that are most credible and suitable for the targeted communication to support meeting the unmet need.