article · Reproductive Health
A systematic review and meta-analysis examining studies published between 2014 and 2023 evaluated the prevalence and drivers of early marriage, defined as marriage before 18 years of age, among married women in Ethiopia. Across a pooled sample of 29,938 individuals from national survey data and regional studies, the national pooled prevalence of early marriage was 53.07 per cent, varying across settings from 33.70 per cent to 76.70 per cent. The analysis identified several statistically significant factors associated with early marriage, namely poverty, rural residence, and parental control over marriage decisions. These results demonstrate that early marriage remains widespread in Ethiopia despite the presence of prohibitive legal frameworks, pointing to a persistent divide between statutory laws and community realities shaped by socio-economic vulnerabilities.
Early marriage directly affects the health, wellbeing, and rights of young women and girls. Demonstrating that over half of married women in Ethiopia entered marriage before age 18 shows the scale of the challenge. Pinpointing poverty, rural geography, and parental decision-making as primary drivers helps public health planners and civil society target protective measures where statutory bans alone have failed to change customs.
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Early marriage (marriage before 18 years of age) and its associated factors in Sub-Saharan Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular are varied, complex, and interrelated due to several risk factors that are not fully quantified in Ethiopia. As a result, the current systematic review and meta-analysis address this issue. The PRISMA and PIOS were adapted for the flow diagram and eligible criteria, respectively. Databases and registers were employed for search engines between 2014 and 2023. MeSH was utilized, as were the keywords. STATA version 17 was used for analysis, and the odds ratios of the outcome variable were determined using the random-effects model. We assessed heterogeneity among the studies using I 2 and p -values, and we performed a funnel plot to assess publication bias. A total of 183 records were searched from the databases (178) and registers (5). From 29, 938 people ( n = 11646, 39%), ( n = 9262, 31%), ( n = 7659, 26%), ( n = 385, 1%), and ( n = 986, 3%) were found from three regional states, EDHS, Amhara, Oromia, and Harari, respectively. The national pooled prevalence of early marriage among eligible married women in Ethiopia was 53.07% [95% CI: 50.08, 56.07, p < 0.05] and ranges from 33.70% [14.10, 53.30] to 76.70% [66.90, 86.50). The factors associated with early marriage were being poor (AOR=1.27, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.48, p -value < 0.05), being rural residence (AOR=1.71, 95% CI: 1.56, 1.87, p -value<0.001), and parental decision making (AOR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.03, p -value < 0.001). The current review found that despite the existence of a prohibitive legal standard, early marriage persists in Ethiopia, indicating a significant gap between law and practice. This continuity is linked primarily to poverty, rural residence, and parental decision-making, underscoring necessary focal points for future efforts.
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DOI: 10.1186/s12978-026-02437-3
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