Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................... 2
1. Background ............................................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Afrobarometer Data on Goromonzi .................................................................................................... 6
2. Rationale and Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 8
2.1 Methods ............................................................................................................................................... 9
3. Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
3.1 Demographics ................................................................................................................................... 11
3.2 Circumstances leading to Child Marriage........................................................................................ 11
3.2.1 Poverty and unemployment ........................................................................................................... 11
3.2.2 Family disruptions and ill-treatment by guardians......................................................................... 12
3.2.3 Unplanned teenage pregnancies ..................................................................................................... 13
3.2.4 Materialism/Consumerism ............................................................................................................. 14
3.2.5 Moral decadence and the spread of transactional sex .................................................................... 14
3.2.6 Immaturity of the child brides ........................................................................................................ 15
3.2.7 Coercion by parents ....................................................................................................................... 15
3.2.8 Religious coercion ......................................................................................................................... 16
4. Marriage as Coming of Age /Ticking of the biological clock............................................................. 17
4.1 Degradation of the sacred to the profane ......................................................................................... 17
5. Descriptions of Marriage ........................................................................................................................ 17
5.1 Religious affiliation .......................................................................................................................... 19
5.2 Loss of companionship ..................................................................................................................... 20
5.3 Sexual dissatisfaction ........................................................................................................................ 21
5.4 Living with the risk of HIV infection and abuse............................................................................... 21
5.5 Livelihoods ....................................................................................................................................... 21
6. Self-Efficacy ........................................................................................................................................... 23
6.1 Psychological well being .................................................................................................................. 24
7. Prevention of Child Marriages ................................................................................................................ 25
7.1 Avoid abandoning the pregnant child ............................................................................................... 25
7.2 Need for convergence of ideas on ..................................................................................................... 25
7.3 Provision of Counselling services ..................................................................................................... 25
3