Chapter 4

THE RESULTS OF RESEARCH FINDINGS

Participant 1
My name is Angel Cayasan Gulle. I am l6 cold and lam married when I 15 years old and now I am a pregrant. My dream Job before is
police but I stopped my studies when I Grade 9 because I get pregnant and I married. The reason why I get Married even the teenage is I
already fall inlove with him but I realized that all my dreams and future career opportunities was gone because of the early marriage.

Participant 2

My name is stefany Avenido, I am 16 years old and lam Marriage at the age of 15 and Im sigle mom. I have a one son and my religion is
Roman Catholic. My course before is Business Woman but,I stop my studies when I graduate in Grade 10 because I had a long time boyfriend
and cause me a trouble when I get pregnant. It's really hard to control my financial aspect specially now I'm a single mom. As a single mom it
cause me to stop my worshiping in god because I stand both Father and mother in my son, and I don't have a any time to worship in god
because I'm always busy in work and my son this study for me was designed to investigate the effect of early marriages on my education. Early
marriage brings me many negative consequences for women, such as my physical and mental problems, for me is more likely to drop out of
school during the preparatory before my marriage of shortly time.

Participant 3

My name is Geneneve Camanian Olarita. I am 25 years old, I am married when I 11 years old and now I have a 2 children. My religion is
Roman catholic. I undecided what course I get When I graduate but I stop my studies when I graduated in Junior Highschool, Were not in a
relationship when we live in together. My parents separated and then I decide to married the man that my grand father arranged for me the
impact of early marriage can vary depending on individual circumstances, marriage can also present challenge such as balancing work and
family reponsebilities potential education, and dual body issues.

Participant 4

My name is Rechelyn Sudlayan Lugcuan, I am 17 years old and I am marriage at the age of l6, I have a One child. My religion is Roman
Catholic. I stop my education when I was Grade 7 because I don't had enough money to support my studies. For me, it's really hard to support
and control the money that we had Early marriage cause me to stop my worshipping in god because I don't have a choice as a mother were
going to prioritize our child before the other things.The common reason reason for early marriage and teenage pregnancy for me is because I
already fall inlove with him but early marriage impact's future career opportunities to me is all my dreams and future career opportunities it is
all gone because of this case

Participant 5

My name is Marie Inlawan Sagumhay. 21 years old. I got married on december 11, 2020, at age of 17. I have a children. my religion is
Seventhday Adventist. I stopped studying in the 3rd year high school because of the lack of financial support. I didn't graduate. I got early
married and got pregnant. I needed to take care of my family. I lost time in worshiping the lord, And I can't Work in a high position because i
don't have a diploma. I thought life is easy with a husband So i fell in love with him. When i got early married, all my dreams and Opportunities
that I would have prioritized were lost.
 CHAPTER 5

DISCUSSION OF THE RESEARCH FINDINGS

Introductions

This chapter presents and discusses the findings of the study pertaining the causes and effects of early marriages in Zambia were the
University of Zambia Students were used as the sample size to help answer questions. The presentations of the research findings and
discussions were done according to the research themes generated from specific objectives of the study obtained during data analysis. The
main specific objectives were; to identify the causes of child marriages, consequences of child marriages and strategies for ending early
marriages.

Section A: Causes of Early marriages

This section presents information on the causes of early marriages in Zambia. This question’s main Objective was to identify the causes of
early marriages in Lusaka Zambia. The data presented under this theme answer research question one; what are the factors that cause early
marriages in Zambia? When participants were asked about the causes of early marriages in Zambia, a number of themes emerged during data
analysis and themes developed under this specific objective were, (i) Cultural Factors, (ii) Economic Factors and (iii) Social Factors contributing
to early marriages.

Cultural Factors Contributing to Early Marriage

In this theme they were two subthemes that emerged as cultural factors that contribute to early marriages and these were; (i) cultural
beliefs and (ii) fear of girl child remaining unmarried.

Cultural belief.

All the participants interviewed indicted that cultural beliefs are among the factors contributing to early marriage. The participants
argued that early marriage is proposed by parents because of their beliefs in the role of a girl child in taking care of the home and to preserve
their sexual purity. Furthermore, in many communities there is a traditional ceremony that is performed to cleanse a girl child from childhood
to adolescent were a young girl is forced to sleep with an older man to prepare them for marriage material, this traditional ceremony has
contributed greatly to the increase early marriages. In explaining how cultural beliefs contribute to early marriage, some participates remarked
as follows:

These confirm the previous studies by McCleary-Sills and Parsons (2014:2) which state that “the practice of child marriage is driven by
social norms and expectation and gendered discrimination that devalues women and girls to make choices for themselves. Further it also
confirms the study by Okonofua (2013) which regards cultural misconceptions and practice of protecting a girl child’s sexuality as a cause of
child marriage. In some cultures, it is considered shameful to the family for a girl to engage in sexual activities before marriage. In such
communities, the virginity of a girl child is highly upheld and as such, girls are expected to preserve it. In regards to this, many parents prefer to
marry off their girl child early in order to protect her purity and avoid bringing the family name to shame (Fernandes, 2013).

The Girls Not Brides (2015) notes that in many communities, the persistence of child marriage is as a result of the tradition of marrying off
girls when they reach adolescent which has been practiced for many generations. These traditions are harmful cultural practices that define the
rite of passage to womanhood. The Guardian Newspaper (2015) in Chitempa (2017) reporting on Malawi’s legislation to ban child marriage
state that a traditional ceremony in the southern part of the country is a contributing cause to child marriage. The Kusasa Fumbi is a tradition in
which a girl is forced to participate cleansing of her childhood when she attains adolescent. She is then taught and prepared how to become a
good wife then forced to sleep with an olderman commonly called as ‘hyena’.

Fear of girl child remaining unmarried

Some participants said that fear of a girl child to remain unmarried for the rest of their lives is what causes early marriages and this is
evident from the verbatim below:

These confirm the previous studies by Birech(2013) which state that societal status and position of a woman is critical key in child
marriage. This means that if a girl child passes the expected age of marriage such as 25 years she may be labelled as a problem and this bring
shame to the family of that girl. To avoid this, parents and guardians are forced to marry of their daughters as soon as they reach puberty in
fear of embarrassment.
Economic Factors Contributing to Early Marriages
The results showed that there were two subthemes that emerged from the economic factors contributing to early marriages and these
were; (i) poverty and (ii) Ignorance.
Poverty
Five participants indicated that some parents marry off their children as a form of investment so that they may get rich once they are paid
with that bride price or even use the money to educate the younger siblings more so the boy child of that one who has been given away in
marriage. This is evident in the verbatim as shown below:

Social Factors Contributing to Early Marriage

Ulnder this theme three subthemes emerged and these include peer pressure, too much freedom and environmental factors.

Increase in number of street kids

Seven out of thirty participants indicated that early marriages takes away a girl child’s opportunity to earn a living. In explaining how early
marriages increases number of street kids, one particlipant remarked as follow:

Educate parents and community members on the consequences of child marriage

Still some participants believed that child marriage can be reduced by educating the parents and other community members on the social
and health consequences of child marriage. They argued that there is a need to strengthening multi-sectoral response to the problem of child
marriage as remarked in the verbatim below:

CHAPTER 6

Introduction
The previous chapter presented the finding and discussion of the study based on the research objectives. This chapter tries to provide
the outline of the findings and discussion. It gives the findings and makes suggestions for the future studies as recommendations. The aim of
the study was to investigate the causes and effects of early marriages in Zambia.
5.2 Conclusion
In conclusion, the study found that early marriages are prevalent in societies whose cultural beliefs and attitudes are difficult to change.
Early marriages is a culturally gender practice which discriminates equal opportunities and place the girl –child a second class citizen in the
societies they live in. The prevalence of early girl-child marriage is greatly perpetuated by Cultural factors such as; cultural beliefs and fear of a
girl child remaining unmarried, Economical factors (Poverty) and social factors which include: Peer pressure, Environment, too much freedom
and ignorance.

These factors are based on society’s mixed attitudes which have since seen the girl child discriminated in her efforts for self-
empowerment and self-emancipation through education as a strong tool to acquire. Child rights must be protected and promoted. A girl should
not be viewed as a commodity but as a dignified human being who should not be discriminated against. The study also identified some of the
effects of early marriages which includes: increase in school dropout which brings about lack of self-reliance. Early marriages also lead to
increase in gender-based violence (Cultural Implications) as well as increase in divorce levels due to lack of maturity by the girl child.

The health of a girl child and their offsprongs is also at risk because early marriages bring about maternal mortality, Malnutrition and
sexually transmitted diseases. When Parents fail to educate the girl child, no one else will and hat means her future is doomed. Some of the
strategies to end child marriage that were identified in this study includes empowering girls with information, skills, and support networks,
providing economic support and incentives to girls and their families, educating and rally parents and community members, enhancing a girls’
access to a high-quality education and encouraging supportive laws and policies to end child marriage.hat means her future is doomed.

Recommendations

Arising from the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made in an attempt to end child marriage.
•The research revealed that, due to high poverty levels, young girls are being forced in immature marriages by the parents. Therefore, the
government should empower the parents through the social cash transfer programme by giving the financial support to help the parents meet
their family needs.
•The study revealed that parents give their children too much freedom which they misuse by engaging in immoral activities and end up being
involved in early marriage. The parents should limit the freedom they give to their children and to teach them to refrain from immoral
practices.
•The research also showed that cultural beliefs are at play as in some cultures, children are forced into early marriages as culture demands that
a girl who has reached puberty should be married. Therefore, the government should emphasize the arresting of the offenders.
•The research also revealed that due to peer pressure, young girls are influenced to get married by their cohorts who are already married.
Hence, the community leaders should come up with different clubs to sensitise the community on the dangers of child marriage.
•The study showed that as a result of child marriages, there has been an increasing percentage in the school dropout rate of the young girls.
The government through the Ministry of Education should emphasize more the re-entry policy and reach out to places where the re-entry
policy is not well known.

•The research further revealed that there is an increase in the number of street kids due to increased poverty rate among young married
parents. Therefore, the government and various organisations should come on board by removing these children from the streets and take
them to places where school can be provided for them, as this may reduce the habit of immature marriages among themselves.
CHAPTER 7

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 CHAPTER 8

Appendices

The problem and it's background............................Chapter 1

Review of related literature and studies.............. Chapter 2

Methodology..................................... ...... chapter 3

The results of research findings............. chapter 4

Discussion of research problem ..... ...........chapter 5

Conclusion......... .......... chapter 6

Reference............................... chapter 7

Appendices...................chapter 8