Child marriages’
root causes
PERCEPTION &
ATTITUDE
Behaviour
as a result of ‘own will/free will’?
OR
Is it an internalised manifestation of social pressure,
social roles, judgements, expectations?
For this purpose, looking at perception, the attitude caused by perception and then
drawing attention to this attitude reveals root causes, problems and systems that need
to be changed. It also reveals both social transformation and the realisation of human
rights. Of course, whether these reasons change (positively or negatively) or remain
constant should be read and analysed by taking into account the elements of the time
experienced (such as pandemics, disasters, crises, elections and changes in country
governance). And these findings should be used to inform efforts and actions to
eliminate inequality and discrimination and reduce or eliminate potential risks.
We asked the participants about the ‘judgements, perceptions and attitudes’ that
‘excuse’ and ‘normalise’ child marriages and that are considered among the root
causes as revealed by many studies in the literature.
During the design phase of the questionnaire, we thought a lot about ‘the way some of
the concepts [24] in the sentences are used in everyday language’ and ‘the way they
should be and transform’ in terms of feminist ethics and rights-based approach. In the
end, we decided to use these concepts in everyday language that the participants
would understand.
[24] ‘A girl who elope with her boyfriend’, ‘a boy who elops his girlfriend’, ‘a girl who falls pregnant’, ‘a boy who
impregnanates a young woman’, ‘a grown man who gets pregnant’, ‘abortion (abortion of a baby)’
38