Paper short abstract:

Young Lives data is used to explore the causes of child marriage and early child bearing in India. An ecological life-course framework helps to demonstrate the role of gendered disadvantages and the need for a layered strategy to tackle them.

Paper long abstract:

Prevalence rates of child marriage and early childbearing have been declining across India over the past two decades, but volumes remain extraordinarily high. The paper uses data collected from 3,000 children over 15 years in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty, to provide an evidence base from which to strengthen policy and programming in this area.

An ecological life-course framework is used to explore the causes of child marriage and early childbearing and the factors which help to prevent them. Findings show that: girls who stay in school for longer marry later, but gender gaps in enrolment widen through adolescence; where resources are limited, gendered social risks become more acute and parents are forced to make decisions which disadvantage girls; aspirations matter but reflect wider realities; and social norms that encourage early child bearing are compounded by inequitable access to health and education services.

The paper discusses that, whilst child marriage and early childbearing are driven by entrenched patriarchal norms regarding the role and value of girls (and women) in society, social norms are not the sole problem and policies targeting them will not be the sole solution. Structural factors are critical, as poverty and social disadvantage constrain girls' opportunities and exacerbate the risks they face, forcing individuals and families to maintain normative practices. An ecological life-course framework helps to demonstrate the need for a layered strategy to tackle the gendered disadvantages which drive child marriage and early childbearing.