Impact of education in preventing child marriage among girls in South Asia: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Child marriage is a serious human rights violation that disproportionately affects girls, harming their health, rights, and future opportunities. This study focuses on five South Asian countries Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives to explore the link between education and the prevention of child marriage. It aims to analyze current trends in child marriage and the challenges girls face in accessing education in the region. Method: Based on quantitative methodology, using secondary data from UNICEF, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), and the World Bank data from 2006-2023, the study conducted descriptive and comparative analyses of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. This identifies trends, patterns, and correlations between the female child marriage rate as the dependent variable and the female lower secondary education completion rate as the independent variable. Results: Between 2006 and 2023, a declining trend in child marriage rates was observed across five selected South Asian countries: Bangladesh (65% to 51%), India (45% to 22%), Nepal (50% to 35%), Sri Lanka (13% to 10%), and the Maldives (4% to 2%) respectively. In this region, Bangladesh continues to report the highest child marriage rate, while the Maldives reports the lowest, Sri Lanka ranked as the second-lowest. During the same period, female lower secondary education completion rates increased in all five countries. However, negative relationship identified between education levels and child marriage. Moreover, in Maldives, the highest female education completion rate identified (100.9%), and the lowest child marriage rate was (2%). In contrast, Bangladesh (91%) and Nepal (103%) show higher education rates but still report high child marriage rates (51% and 35%). This indicated that factors beyond education, such as socio-cultural influences, may contribute to early marriage. Conclusion: The findings revealed that education plays a crucial role in reducing child marriage. However, addressing socio-cultural barriers, especially in countries like Bangladesh and Nepal, is crucial. Key obstacles to girls' education in the region include poverty, inadequate infrastructure, gender inequality, political instability, and unsafe school environments.