Exploring Early Marriage in Rural Sindh: Socio-Cultural Factors and Effects on Women' Health and Education

Child marriage remains an overlooked social issue at the grassroots level in Pakistani society with minimal public discussion and discourse. The people in traditional societies are unaware about the harmful impacts of child marriages on socio-cultural, educational and psychological wellbeing of women in the society. The real challenges due to this phenomenon are generally neglected in the academic research. Therefore, this study has been designed to assess the impact of early marriages on life of rural women living in the coastal region of Sindh province in Pakistan. This qualitative research study conducted through interviews. Selected women were early married women from rural areas in district Thatta. Study involved eight women participants aged between 17 to 34. Most of them were married between the ages of 10 to 17 by their parents in close family relatives. These women were belonged to a low socio-economic back ground. This study identified societal norms and customs, poverty and economic insecurity, and the community pressure as the socio-cultural factors of early marriages. Furthermore, it highlights the unfavorable psychological effects of early marriages on health of women and educational barriers faced by these women due to early marriage. This study also noticed lack of awareness about legal age of women and due rights of women in the study area. Therefore, it recommends the need of awareness campaigns for the women rights and taking concreate measure for socio-economic uplift of women.