Faith Leaders as change agents to reduce early marriage incidents in Afghanistan

Summary:

Early marriage remains widespread in Afghanistan. Based on a survey by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (2018), up to 80% of marriages were forced marriages on girls. The same research found that children were often forced to early marriage by violent means and it was widely accepted. World Vision designed a project with an innovative approach to reduce incidents of child, early and forced marriage (CEFM). Since Afghanistan is predominately a very conservative Islamic country, the two-year project directly engaged Mullahs (faith leaders) to equip them for facilitating the dialogue with their followers to explore together the underlying beliefs and norms that either challenge or support CEFM by using the community transformation approach. Mullahs in Afghanistan are extremely influential, respected and expected to play a key role in shaping community opinions. The project theory aimed to raise awareness on the negative consequences on CEFM through faith leaders who were considered as change agents in the community, their increased knowledge and commitment would transform into social norm change over the years which in turn would affect behavior patterns of targeted families in a long term. In order to measure project's impact, during the baseline and evaluation studies a quasi-experimental research design was applied, using a quantitative method. The research focused on measuring changes in knowledge gaps, cultural beliefs or social norms, behavioral patterns/practices and other socio-economic factors that might facilitate deeper understanding of drivers of CEFM. The research was conducted among faith leaders, parents and children.

Background/Objectives:

In order to reduce child early marriage prevalence in Afghanistan, WV designed a project that incorporates attitude and behavior change aspects through focusing on changing social norms (descriptive and injunctive). The project interventions expected change at knowledge, attitude and behavior levels of each group of beneficiaries, through considering faith leaders as change agents that would transform parents and children's mindset. In order to learn about the drivers of early marriage and capture the impact of the project, a quasi-experimental research design was applied at the baseline and evaluation of the project.

Description of Intervention and/or Methods/Design:

Before the launch of project implementation, a project baseline study was conducted to learn the drivers and social norms of early marriage. A baseline applied a quasi-experimental research design. The interventions and comparison groups were compared on the key hypothesis that were developed based on the theory of change which are as follows: increased knowledge and commitment of faith leaders to change CEFM practices contributes to changing attitude and social norms among parents; and attitude and social norm change tendencies among community members will contribute to the reduced child early marriage cases. In order to measure the beneficiaries' knowledge, their cultural beliefs and behavioral patterns/practices, as well as other socio-economic factors, a special questionnaires were developed for each target group. Specific questions were developed to measure social norms (both descriptive and injunctive). The baseline study revealed which social norms are driving the behavior of parents to marry their children early.

Results/Lessons Learned:

The study was the first in western Afghanistan that attempted to learn community member's attitudes and social norms towards early marriage, with aim to design project interventions that bring transformation to the community. The study confirmed that child marriage is a common practice in two provinces of Afghanistan with a limited awareness of the associated negative consequences to children. The study revealed that lack of awareness, social norms and economic burden are the key drivers of early marriage. Community members believed that early marriage is something practiced by most people and it is a norm that is accepted by the community members. The results also indicated that parents marry off their daughters early not because they believe that daughters should be married early but because parents believe that others believe daughters should be married early and they do not want to go against the normative beliefs of others.

Discussion/Implications for the Field:

Findings showed that the early marriage is a practice that involves decision-making and influence of more than one individual of one family, proving that enduring change will not come one person at a time. Thus, the expectation of what is within the realm of normal must change across the community, entire network of people. Research findings successfully suggested that the interventions should consider key principles of changing the social norms and focus on changing not only personal beliefs (what community members think) but normative expectations as well (what community members think other expect them to do or think).

Abstract submitted by:

Natia Ubilava - World Vision
Kate Kobaidze - World Vision