Child marriage in contexts of forced displacement: exploring drivers and decision-making in Jordan through a gender and generational lens
publication
Child marriage in contexts of forced displacement: exploring drivers and decision-making in Jordan through a gender and generational lens
24.11.2025 | Jordan
Country
Jordan
Capability domains
Bodily integrity and freedom from violence
Audience type
Researcher
Year of publication
2025
Study methodology
Mixed-methods
Authors
Elizabeth Presler-Marshall, Nicola Jones, Sarah Baird, Bassam Abu Hamad, Sarah Alheiwidi, Erin Oakley
Humanitarian actors have been slow to address child marriage, despite evidence that it is particularly common in conflict-affected contexts. This article explores the child marriage decision-making process among refuges living in Jordan, using a gender and generational lens.
Methods: Data used in this paper was collected between 2018 and 2022 and focuses on refugee girls (and young women) who live in Jordan and who married prior to age 18. Survey data was collected from 152 young Syrian brides. In-depth interviews were conducted with 45 Syrian and Palestinian brides—as well as their parents, in-laws, and husbands.
Suggested citation
Presler-Marshall, E., Jones, N., Baird, S., Alheiwidi, S. and Oakley, E. ‘Child marriage in contexts of forced displacement: exploring drivers and decision-making in Jordan through a gender and generational lens.’ Frontiers in Sociology, 10, 1599991 (https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2025.1599991)
