Constrained choices: Exploring the complexities of adolescent girls’ voice and agency in child marriage decisions in Ethiopia

Nicola Jones, Elizabeth Presler-Marshall, Guday Kassahun and Meti Kebede Hateu
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Nicola Jones: GAGE/ Overseas Development Institute, London, United Kingdom
Elizabeth Presler-Marshall: Independent Researcher
Guday Kassahun: Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Meti Kebede Hateu: GAGE Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Progress in Development Studies, 2020, vol. 20, issue 4, 296-311

Abstract: Ethiopia has recently seen a remarkable fall in the proportion of girls who marry in early adolescence, reflecting the country’s lauded efforts to tackle child marriage. However, aggregate national figures mask a more complex reality. This article explores this complexity, drawing on qualitative data with adolescent girls and boys, their caregivers, service providers and community leaders, from the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) longitudinal study baseline. Our findings highlight the complex interplay between cultural norms, economic factors, individual voice and agency, and collective support thereof, on the part of leaders and service providers, from grassroots to national levels.

Keywords: Adolescent; girls; gender marriage; social norms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:prodev:v:20:y:2020:i:4:p:296-311

DOI: 10.1177/1464993420958215

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