Child marriage and gender oppression: a socio-ecological approach

Abstract

This study argues that child marriage should be understood as a socially oppressive practice targeting girls and women, sustained by a complex normative structure that reinforces patriarchal systems and dynamics. The analysis is grounded in a feminist and socio-ecological perspective of social norms theory, highlighting the influence of gender norms as well as the broader social and political context. Subsequently, the role of agency and deliberation among girls and adolescents in contexts marked by gender-based injustice and oppression is examined, drawing on non-ideal theories to deepen the understanding of the strategies underpinning these young women’s engagement with this practice.