Child marriage, marital disruption, and marriage thereafter: evidence from a national survey
Summary & Objectives
This study examines how women’s age at first marriage is associated with marital disruption in Bangladesh, with a specific focus on differences between women who experienced child marriage and those who did not. Using nationally representative data, the study also explores the compromises women make when they remarry after marital dissolution, including partner characteristics and attitudes toward intimate partner violence. The objective is to clarify whether age at marriage affects marital stability differently across groups and to document the social consequences women face following divorce, particularly in a patriarchal context
Findings
Child marriage remains highly prevalent in Bangladesh, affecting nearly two-thirds of women, with higher rates in rural areas. Among women who experienced child marriage, the likelihood of marital disruption decreases as age at first marriage increases. In contrast, among women who married at 18 or later, the risk of marital disruption increases with age at first marriage, producing a curvilinear relationship overall. Higher education and household wealth are protective against marital disruption, while women who have never given birth face substantially higher risks. Women who remarry after divorce tend to make significant compromises, including marrying much older men, entering polygynous unions, and expressing greater acceptance of intimate partner violence, reflecting reduced bargaining power after marital dissolution
Recommendations
Policies to prevent child marriage should remain a priority, alongside sustained investments in girls’ education and economic security, as these factors reduce both early marriage and marital instability. Social protection and legal support systems for divorced women should be strengthened to reduce economic dependence and vulnerability in remarriage. Programs addressing gender norms, particularly those normalising intimate partner violence and unequal marital power, are critical to improving women’s wellbeing following marital disruption. Addressing marital instability should be recognised as a public health and social policy concern, not solely a private family matter
Share your research
You can share details of your ongoing and upcoming research to be included in the CRANKs online research tracker. By doing this, you are contributing to a coordinated, harmonised global research agenda.