Interviews with the Ultra Poor Graduation Program (UPGP) beneficiaries in 2022 revealed that they display a strong resolve to graduate out of poverty, additionally recognizing that education can facilitate upward social mobility. This study, conducted in partnership with the Center for Global Development (CGD) aims to understand whether the rate of child marriage can be reduced and enrollment for girls in primary and secondary education can be increased through the provision of counseling.
Researchers: Khandker Wahedur Rahman; Shaila Ahmed; Marjan Hossain; Md. Rohmotul Islam; Gabriella Smarelli; Radhika Nagesh
Partners: Center for Global Development (CGD)
Timeline: 2021-2023
Status: Completed
Contact: Marjan Hossain; marjan.hossain@bracu.ac.bd
Context
Despite having high aspirations for their children’s education and viewing it as the key to better life prospects, interviews with the Ultra Poor Graduation Program (UPGP) beneficiaries in 2022 revealed that parents marry off their adolescent daughters in their early or late teenage years. The generation gap causing mistrust and conflict is particularly salient for parents and adolescent girls due to concerns about dishonorable behavior and the resulting reputation concerns. Further, religious, gender, and societal norms prevent girls from discussing their growth and agency with their parents, deepening the parent-adolescent gap. Girls’ voices are often excluded from marriage decisions, and asserting agency threatens patriarchal authority, leading to stigma. Hence, despite awareness of the dangers of child marriage and high education goals, parents consent to early marriage for adolescent girls out of fear of the child’s misconduct and consequential social ramifications.
Objectives
The main research objective is to investigate whether bridging the parent-adolescent gap through the provision of counseling can reduce their conflict and lead to a healthier dynamic, thus resulting in a decrease in the rate of early marriage and an increase in the rate of enrollment for girls in secondary and higher secondary levels. In addition, other outcomes that will be measured include perceived parental support and parent-adolescent conflict, conflict styles, and the proportion of female students receiving private tutoring.
Methodology
The counseling sessions will be adapted from the CONNECT parenting support program, involving both parents and adolescents. UPG groups will be randomly assigned to the intervention. The study sample will consist of 200 groups with 100 groups randomly assigned into the treatment group, and the rest constituting the control group. The treatment group will receive this additional PFA intervention, while the control group will receive the standard UPG intervention.
Findings and Recommendations
Forthcoming
