How do law and religion influence child marriage? A qualitative study using content analysis

Objective

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of religion and law on child marriage in Sanandaj, Iran.

Background

The prevalence of child marriage is 16.65% in Iran and 11% in the Kurdish city of Sanandaj. This study considers the legality and legitimacy of this practice in Iran.

Method

Eligible participants were selected through purposive sampling. Participants included three groups: parents of a married child (n = 7), women who were child brides (n = 19), and experts (sociologists, marriage concluders, and marriage counselors; n = 7). The research question was “What impact do religious and legal factors have on the decision of families in child marriage?” The data were gathered using semistructured in-depth interviews and analyzed by conventional content analysis method.

Results

The findings were generally categorized into four main themes including law–religion issues (subthemes: marriageable age in civil law, Sharia principles), predisposed religious interpretations (subthemes: religious interpretations confirming child marriage, interpretations rejecting child marriage), institutional factors (subthemes: official agencies, religious factors), and religious viewpoint of families toward child marriage (subthemes: avoidance of sin, reference of parents/children to religious rules).

Conclusions

The intersection of law, religion, and family institutions, with their interconnected rules, encourage child marriage (particularly for girls) in Sanandaj, Iran. Any change in these factors (mostly civil law and Sharia) may influence the demands of families for child marriage.