Early marriage and employment in Vietnam

Abstract Early marriage, also known as child marriage, remains a significant issue in developing countries, including Vietnam. In 2014, the Vietnamese National Assembly revised the Law on Marriage and Family, including a provision to increase the minimum age of marriage for both genders to reduce this practice. This study presents the first evidence of the impact of this legal reform on the prevalence of early marriage and employment in Vietnam. A fuzzy regression discontinuity design method is used to assess the impact. Analyzing data from the 2019 Population and Housing Census reveals that raising the minimum age for marriage positively affects the age at which women first marry and reduces the prevalence of early marriages among women. Additionally, delaying marriage can also impact certain types of women's employment. This study contributes to the international literature on the effects of legal bans on early marriage, specifically regarding labor market outcomes.