Socio-ecological factors of girl child marriage: a meta-synthesis of qualitative research

Summary & Objectives

This meta-synthesis synthesises qualitative evidence published between 2000 and 2022 to identify the socio-ecological drivers of girl child marriage across diverse settings. Drawing on 34 qualitative studies from Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Europe, and the United States, the study aims to move beyond single-factor explanations by systematically mapping how individual, family, community, and societal factors interact to sustain child marriage. Using the socio-ecological model, the review seeks to provide a comprehensive framework that can guide policy design and multi-level prevention strategies

Findings

The synthesis shows that child marriage is driven by interlocking factors operating at multiple levels. At the individual level, limited knowledge of marriage consequences, lack of life skills, constrained agency, and perceptions of physical or mental “maturity” increase vulnerability. At the interpersonal level, family structure, ineffective parenting, household instability, and patriarchal decision-making strongly shape girls’ marriage trajectories. Community-level drivers include poverty, economic insecurity, climate and conflict-related shocks, and social pressure from peers, elders, and religious leaders.

At the societal level, deeply entrenched gender norms, cultural and religious beliefs around sexuality, honor, and fertility, and weak or poorly enforced legal frameworks consistently reinforce early marriage. Across contexts, cultural norms supporting gender inequality emerge as the most pervasive and cross-cutting driver, often overriding legal protections and economic change

Recommendations

Effective prevention requires coordinated, multi-level strategies rather than isolated interventions. Policies should prioritise transforming harmful gender norms while simultaneously expanding girls’ education, life skills, and access to accurate information on rights and health. Families need targeted support through parenting programmes, social protection, and counselling, particularly in contexts of poverty, displacement, or instability. At the community and societal levels, legal reform must be paired with credible enforcement and norm-change efforts that engage religious and traditional leaders. Strengthening systems for education, social services, and legal protection is essential to ensure that girls have viable alternatives to marriage and that laws meaningfully protect them