TY - JOUR
T1 - Examining the intersection between marriage, perceived maturity and child marriage
T2 - perspectives of community elders in the Northern region of Ghana
AU - Sarfo, Elizabeth Anokyewaa
AU - Yendork, Joana Salifu
AU - Naidoo, Anthony Vernon
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Child marriage is a widespread global phenomenon that is prevalent in many developing countries including Ghana. The practice of child marriage has its roots in how marriage, adolescence and readiness for marriage are construed in practising communities. This study presents the views of community elders towards the practice and examines constructions of marriage and maturity and their influence on child marriage. Data were collected from seven elders from selected communities in the Northern region of Ghana. Individual in-depth interviews were used to gather participants’ perceptions of constructions of marriage and markers for determining maturity of girls for marriage. An inductive qualitative method was used to analyse transcribed data. Elders’ views indicated that early marriage was strongly influenced by community constructions of marriage and social indicators of readiness for marriage. The main indicators of maturity for marriage for men were economic independence and an awareness of sexual desire while the overt markers of physiological development and mastery of domestic tasks were indicators for girls. Knowledge about the cultural construction of marriage and readiness for marriage is helpful to influence policy making and interventions on early marriage.
AB - Child marriage is a widespread global phenomenon that is prevalent in many developing countries including Ghana. The practice of child marriage has its roots in how marriage, adolescence and readiness for marriage are construed in practising communities. This study presents the views of community elders towards the practice and examines constructions of marriage and maturity and their influence on child marriage. Data were collected from seven elders from selected communities in the Northern region of Ghana. Individual in-depth interviews were used to gather participants’ perceptions of constructions of marriage and markers for determining maturity of girls for marriage. An inductive qualitative method was used to analyse transcribed data. Elders’ views indicated that early marriage was strongly influenced by community constructions of marriage and social indicators of readiness for marriage. The main indicators of maturity for marriage for men were economic independence and an awareness of sexual desire while the overt markers of physiological development and mastery of domestic tasks were indicators for girls. Knowledge about the cultural construction of marriage and readiness for marriage is helpful to influence policy making and interventions on early marriage.
KW - Child marriage
KW - community elders
KW - marriage
KW - northern Ghana
KW - readiness for marriage
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087155361&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13691058.2020.1749934
DO - 10.1080/13691058.2020.1749934
M3 - Article
C2 - 32552546
AN - SCOPUS:85087155361
SN - 1369-1058
VL - 23
SP - 991
EP - 1005
JO - Culture, Health and Sexuality
JF - Culture, Health and Sexuality
IS - 7
ER -