The Consequences of Early Marriage in the Developing World

From the paper: Jensen, Robert and Rebecca Thornton “The Consequences of Early Marriage in the Developing World.” Oxfam Journal of Gender and Development. (June) 2003. 

Many women in the developing world are subject to marriage at an early age. Most such women have little choice in the age at which they marry, or whom they marry. In this article, we examine patterns and trends of early marriage in the developing world. The incidence varies widely, from a high of 70percent in south Asia to a low of 30 percent in South East Asia. Women who marry young tend to have less education and begin child rearing earlier, and have less decision-making power in the household. They are also more likely to experience domestic violence.