Abstract
The present research investigated the profound effects of child marriages on female education and learning in Pakistan, focusing on how patriarchal beliefs and religious misconceptions contribute to this issue. Deeply entrenched patriarchal mindsets and traditional values perpetuate gender discrimination, leading to a high incidence of child marriages that adversely impact the educational opportunities and development of young girls. Present research explores the relationship between these socio-cultural factors and their detrimental effects on the education and mental health of 118 participants including 79 girls and 39 boys married before the age of 18. The girls were disproportionately more in sample as child marriage practice is more common in girls as compared to the boys. The present research used the qualitative research design consisted of in-depth interviews for rigorous information about the topic of investigation. Thematic analysis was conducted to explore the major findings from the transcripts of interviews. Findings reveal that child marriages significantly hinder educational attainment, resulting in lower academic performance and reduced school attendance among affected girls. The present research highlights gender-specific disparities, with girls experiencing greater educational setbacks compared to their male counterparts. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to promote gender equality and improve educational outcomes for girls. By fostering accurate religious understanding and challenging regressive norms, present research aimed to contribute to the ongoing efforts to dismantle patriarchal paradigms and enhance the quality of life for girls impacted by early marriage in Pakistan.
Author Information
Maria Muzaffar Janjua, University of Wah, Pakistan
Anila Kamal, Rawalpindi Women University, Pakistan
Paper Information
Conference: SEACE2025
Stream: Mind
This paper is part of the SEACE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Janjua M., & Kamal A. (2025) Child Marriages and Female Education: Examining the Impact on Learning Opportunities in Pakistan ISSN: 2435-5240 The Southeast Asian Conference on Education 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 63-71) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-5240.2025.7
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-5240.2025.7
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