Factors associated with child marriage among Rohingya refugee girls in Malaysia: A qualitative analysis

Background and Purpose: Rohingya refugees have fled Rakhine state, Myanmar for decades due to persecution. While Malaysia has been a preferred destination, the Rohingya are considered illegals and struggle with protection, poverty, and poor access to healthcare and education. Child marriage is prevalent in this environment, impacting Rohingya girls. This study examined factors associated with child marriage among the Rohingya in Malaysia. Methodology: This qualitative study was guided by both ecological and social exchange theory. The main methods of this study included in-depth interviews (IDIs) with Rohingya women married as girls (n=14), focus group discussions (FGDs) with community stakeholders (n=18), and FGDs with older Rohingya men (n=20). Criterion and snowball sampling were used, and data were analysed for themes with the assistance of Atlas.ti qualitative data analysis software. Findings: The research showed that various factors associated with culture as well as displacement combined to push Rohingya families toward child marriage for their girls. Cultural factors impacting child marriage included patriarchal values of arranged marriages, girls needing to be protected, and girls and women not working outside the home. Religious factors such as Islamic beliefs also played a role. Factors related to displacement, such as poverty, lack of education, and the fact that there are more Rohingya men than women in Malaysia also contributed to child marriage. Contributions: This paper provides insight into the factors associated with Rohingya child marriage in Malaysia. This information can assist NGOs and UNHCR in developing programs to prevent child marriage among the Rohingya in Malaysia. Keywords: Child marriage, Malaysia, refugees, Rohingya, sustainable development goal.