Child marriage practices among the Rohingya in Bangladesh

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8074309
AutoresAndrea J Melnikas (0000-0002-8271-858X, Population Council, autor correspondente), Sigma Ainul (0000-0002-8844-4110), Iqbal Ehsan (0000-0002-0704-4570), Eashita Haque, Sajeda Amin (0000-0001-5391-1594, Population Council)
Ano2020
Volume14
Fascículo1
Páginas28-28
Data de publicação2020-05-25
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoConflict and Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1752-1505 • E-ISSN: 1752-1505
EditoraBioMed Central (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1186/s13031-020-00274-0
PMID32508981
OpenAlexW3031668506
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas23
Referências citadas24

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that child marriage may be accelerated during times of crisis and insecurity as resources are scarce and child marriage may be a survival strategy for girls and their families. In 2017, the Rohingya experienced a mass displacement to Bangladesh in response to escalating violence in Myanmar. This displacement has resulted in an estimated population of nearly 1 million Rohingya living in Cox's Bazar. METHODS: = 24) working in Cox's Bazar to understand their experience of living or working in the camps, preferences for timing of marriage, and marriage practices in Myanmar and in the camps. We also interviewed Bangladeshis in the host community to complement our understanding of marriage in the camps and its influence in the broader community. Our primary objective was to describe how displacement influenced marriage timing and practices. RESULTS: We found that child marriage is a strong cultural phenomenon among the Rohingya, primarily rooted in socio-cultural and religious beliefs around readiness for marriage. Although child marriage was practiced by the Rohingya in Myanmar, specific state law and oppression by military forces prevented many from marrying before age 18. Now this preference is more easily practiced in the camps in Bangladesh where the displaced Rohingya experience less marriage regulation. Host community participants perceive the presence of the Rohingya as encouraging both polygamy and child marriage in their communities, leading to tension among the host community. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support evidence that conflict and displacement increase child marriage in populations already vulnerable to child marriage by exacerbating gender inequities. However, our findings also suggest group norms around religious and cultural preferences for age at marriage play a significant role in post-displacement behaviors surrounding marriage

Arranged Marriage · Child marriage · Focus group · Forced marriage · Oppression · Political science · Population · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Asian Geopolitics and Ethnography · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Demography · Gender Studies · Global Maternal and Child Health · Law · Migration, Health and Trauma