Lead to Child Marriage in Jordan
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A Qualitative Study on the Underlying Social Norms and Economic Causes that LEAD TO CHILD MARRIAGE IN JORDAN A Qualitative Study on the Underlying Social Norms and Economic Causes that LEAD TO CHILD MARRIAGE IN JORDAN This paper was produced by the University of Edinburgh and Analyseize for the Higher Population Council and UNICEF in 2019. The opinions and statements presented here do not necessarily represent those of the Higher Population Council, UNICEF, the University of Edinburgh or Analyseize. Table of Contents Acknowledgements 6 Summary 7 Advocay Messages 13 Executive Summary 15 1. Introduction P. 2 5 2. Methodology Systematic Review 27 Secondary Analysis 29 Qualitative Study 29 Data Analysis 38 P. 2 6 3. Findings Systematic Review and Secondary Analysis 40 Qualitative Study 52 Social Norms Surveys 64 In-depth Interviews 77 P. 4 4 4. Conclusion and Multi-sectoral The Child-Centred Framework 89 Plan Social and Behaviour Change Framework 90 P. 8 9 References 100 6 A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE UNDERLYING SOCIAL NORMS AND ECONOMIC CAUSES THAT LEAD TO CHILD MARRIAGE IN JORDAN Acknowledgements SUMMARY This report was written by Dr Deborah Fry, Dr Kirsteen Mackay, Zain Kurdi and Tabitha Casey at the University of Edinburgh. It was commissioned by UNICEF and led by the Higher Population Council. Special thanks go to Takuya Numajiri and Chad Hemady from the University of Edinburgh for assisting with various aspects of this report. Special gratitude also goes to the Analyseize team of consultants and facilitators in Jordan who led the qualitative component of this study and met with groups of parents, adolescents, extended family members, refugees and others to gather their feedback and insights. The Analyseize team was also influential in the considered processing of feedback from the National Committee for the Elimination of Child Marriage for designing a streamlined qualitative study that also included a quantitative social norms element. The facilitator reports were detailed and meticulous, allowing the rich analysis of this report to emerge. The work undertaken to prepare this report would not have been possible without the support and input from two key UNICEF Jordan Office members of staff: Ruba Hikmat, Child Protection Specialist who was the focal point for this study and Maha Homsi, the Chief of Child Protection. We appreciate the support rendered by the National Committee for the Elimination of Child Marriage who provided valuable feedback on study design and sampling as well as findings. We are grateful to the participants who provided honest and insightful information about their thoughts on the drivers of child marriage. We also extend our gratitude to the policymakers, professionals, Sheikhs and religious scholars who assisted with the study and provided thoughts on the drivers of child marriage and ways to effectively reduce child marriage in Jordan. ©UNICEF/Herwig SUMMARY ©UNICEF/Herwig 8 A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE UNDERLYING SOCIAL NORMS AND ECONOMIC CAUSES THAT LEAD TO CHILD MARRIAGE IN JORDAN The prevalence of child marriage is on the rise again after a decade of decline. Children who marry are at an increased risk of experiencing violence within Demographic Health Survey data shows a gradual decrease, between 2007 and 2012, in child those relationships as compared to adults. marriages for those below 18 years of age and, to a lesser extent, for those under 15 years of age. Increases in marriage for both under 15-year olds and under 18-year-olds are shown in the most recent data from 2017/2018. DHS trend analysis those who married under the age of 18 years for the years 2007, were more likely to suffer injuries as a result of violence from their 2009, 2012 and 2017 husband indicates that... 2012 Demographic Health in child marriages for to a lesser extent, Survey data shows a those below for those under gradual decrease between 18 years 15 years 2007 of age of age of those of those Increases in marriage for both under 15-year olds and under 18-year-olds are shown in the most 29.9% compared 20.5% who married before who married after recent data from 2017/2018. with 18 experienced 18 years of age. these injuries, The trend in child divorces is also changing according to the most recent DHS Education remains a strong preventative factor against child marriages, data. particularly for girls. From a secondary analysis of DHS datasets of the prevalence of child marriage against educational attainment, a strong trend can be seen that shows that In 2012, divorce among those who married aged 18 years or compared to younger & second the middle fourth & richest was slightly more (4.3%) (3.9%) (2.6%) (1.6%) (2.3%) common in the poorest wealth quintiles quintiles increased levels of educational attainment This trend changed are associated with in the 2017 decreasing levels of findings, where child marriage for both child marriages those under 18 and those were reported to under 15 years of age. end in divorce more frequently in & fourth the middle second the & richest & poorest (6.5%) (4.2%) (3.0%) (1.9%) (3.0%) quintiles quintiles than in A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE UNDERLYING SOCIAL NORMS AND ECONOMIC 9 CAUSES THAT LEAD TO CHILD MARRIAGE IN JORDAN The prevalence of child marriage is on the rise again after a decade of decline. Children who marry are at an increased risk of experiencing violence within Demographic Health Survey data shows a gradual decrease, between 2007 and 2012, in child those relationships as compared to adults. marriages for those below 18 years of age and, to a lesser extent, for those under 15 years of age. Increases in marriage for both under 15-year olds and under 18-year-olds are shown in the most recent data from 2017/2018. DHS trend analysis those who married under the age of 18 years for the years 2007, were more likely to suffer injuries as a result of violence from their 2009, 2012 and 2017 husband indicates that... 2012 Demographic Health in child marriages for to a lesser extent, Survey data shows a those below for those under gradual decrease between 18 years 15 years 2007 of age of age of those of those Increases in marriage for both under 15-year olds and under 18-year-olds are shown in the most 29.9% compared 20.5% who married before who married after recent data from 2017/2018. with 18 experienced 18 years of age. these injuries, The trend in child divorces is also changing according to the most recent DHS Education remains a strong preventative factor against child marriages, data. particularly for girls. From a secondary analysis of DHS datasets of the prevalence of child marriage against educational attainment, a strong trend can be seen that shows that In 2012, divorce among those who married aged 18 years or compared to younger & second the middle fourth & richest was slightly more (4.3%) (3.9%) (2.6%) (1.6%) (2.3%) common in the poorest wealth quintiles quintiles increased levels of educational attainment This trend changed are associated with in the 2017 decreasing levels of findings, where child marriage for both child marriages those under 18 and those were reported to under 15 years of age. end in divorce more frequently in & fourth the middle second the & richest & poorest (6.5%) (4.2%) (3.0%) (1.9%) (3.0%) quintiles quintiles than in 10 A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE UNDERLYING SOCIAL NORMS AND ECONOMIC CAUSES THAT LEAD TO CHILD MARRIAGE IN JORDAN In qualitative findings, the five key drivers of child marriage across all At the interpersonal level, respondent groups are (1) Custom and (2) Poverty (3) Broken (4) Lack of we see poverty to family stress extended family the size of the Tradition Homes/ Family Knowledge which leads and interference household Disintegration (5) Sutra which was defined by participants in multiple ways including financial stability and security, but was more often used to describe the protection of girls’ reputations). polygamy, consanguineous domestic spousal conflict marriages/ violence family marriages From all the data (qualitative, literature review and secondary analysis of quantitative data) we can find the following risk and protective factors as well as drivers of child marriages: At the individual level, several factors emerged including.... At the community level, educational ethnicity (including gender refugee status attainment (both membership of the (girls being more at Dom community) risk) of the children and we found the high value and gender tribal and cultural beliefs their parents) attitudes norms around marriage, around family marriages, towards Additionally, individual beliefs, sutra family marriages religious beliefs and living in rural areas. participants including attitudes and the and customs, as key factors in the identified the towards education importance of prevalence of child (especially for girls) importance of marriage. marriage. A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE UNDERLYING SOCIAL NORMS AND ECONOMIC 11 CAUSES THAT LEAD TO CHILD MARRIAGE IN JORDAN In qualitative findings, the five key drivers of child marriage across all At the interpersonal level, respondent groups are (1) Custom and (2) Poverty (3) Broken (4) Lack of we see poverty to family stress extended family the size of the Tradition Homes/ Family Knowledge which leads and interference household Disintegration (5) Sutra which was defined by participants in multiple ways including financial stability and security, but was more often used to describe the protection of girls’ reputations). polygamy, consanguineous domestic spousal conflict marriages/ violence family marriages From all the data (qualitative, literature review and secondary analysis of quantitative data) we can find the following risk and protective factors as well as drivers of child marriages: At the individual level, several factors emerged including...