Parents’ Perception Towards Ending Girls’ Early Marriage in Uyui District, Tabora, Tanzania

Abstract

Early marriage is a global problem facing most countries, including Tanzania and other developing countries. The government and other organizations, including Civil Society Organizations (SCOs), have made different efforts to end early marriages in different regions in the country. Despite the efforts made, the problem persists in some of the regions in Tanzania, including Tabora, where the study was conducted. The theory of change developed by Girls Not Brides was used to show the importance of parents in ending early marriage. Thus, parents were the unit of analysis. The study employed a qualitative approach with little support of quantitative data where descriptive statistics were obtained. The study found that most respondents (74%) were not aware of marriage laws. The study also found that parents’ perception in ending girls’ early marriage was related to cultural upholding (norms and values) where the fornication and giving birth at the parents’ homes were prohibited. Another finding was that girls were taken as a way of solving economic problems in the study area. The study recommends that the community be given awareness and appropriate education on the impact of girls’ early marriage on their physical and psychological condition. The community should also be trained on intrapreneurial activities to improve their economic status. It will enable them to take care of their families and stop using their daughters as assets. The marriage laws should also be mainstreamed to all levels of the government and the communities to ensure that all people know them.