The Role of Faith in Child Marriage: Empirical Evidence from Mozambique, Nepal, and the Philippines
Author Information
Kanykey Bayalieva Jailobaeva1a, Kathryn Kraft1b, Hazel Barrett1c, Pascal Niyonkuru2, Desmond Lim3, Alberto Marin4, and Eduardo Cossa5
1aQueen Margaret University,1bUniversity of East London and World Vision International 1cCoventry University, 2Coventry University, 3World Vision South Asia and Pacific, 4World Vision Development Foundation, Inc., 5World Vision Mozambique
The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 22(3), 39–54. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2024.2375847
Abstract
Traditional and religious reasons are often used to justify the practice of child marriage, but the influence of faith on this issue has not been widely studied. This research looks into the concept of "faith norms" and how they influence child marriage based on community attitudes and practices.
The study uses a mixed methods approach combining both quantitative and qualitative methods in selected communities in Mozambique, Nepal, and the Philippines. Household surveys were given to 217 community members in Mozambique, 391 in Nepal, and 378 in the Philippines, all chosen through random household-based sampling. For the qualitative component of the study, 80 people from each country participated in focus group discussions (FGDs), totaling 240 participants.
A descriptive analysis was conducted on the survey data using Huber and Huber's (2012) guidance to analyze scores from the Centrality of Religiosity Scale. The scores were divided into three groups: "non-religious" (1.0-2.0), "religious" (2.1-3.9), and "highly religious" (4.0-5.0). ANOVA and Chi-square tests were used to check for significant differences between the groups. Additionally, data from focus group discussions and interviews offered further insights into the survey results. Overall, the results showed that faith and religion are deeply ingrained in these communities, with most survey respondents identifying with a faith group and practicing their religion publicly and privately. Faith was also found to have an impact on child marriage through beliefs related to gender roles. Although this trend was observed in all countries, there were notable differences among them, highlighting the importance of local context.
Addressing child marriage requires a comprehensive approach that considers both faith and gender norms. Most importantly, recognizing the role of faith plays, can help engage with faith communities more effectively, leading to positive behavior changes that can prevent such practice.
