There is a demonstrated relationship between early marriage and education. Female youth who are out of school are more likely to marry, and those youth who marry while in school, are more likely to drop out. By analyzing the stories of 140 female youth displaced by conflict in South Sudan and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), we examine the role of marital status and motherhood on schooling experience and educational interruption, attainment, and aspirations. We look specifically at the unique challenges faced by female youth living with disabilities. The paper also analyzes the role of gender norms, community perceptions, and family attitudes on adolescent girls’ ability to access education.
The main findings of this study include:
- Family attitudes and concerns, often gendered, play a pivotal role in whether or not female youth attended school, dropped out of school or succeeded in school. Mothers play a significant role in whether and how a their daughters are educated.
- Economic hardship resulting from conflict undermined the ability of female youth to afford education, particularly for girls.
- Delaying marriage is significantly correlated with increased educational attainment, particularly in the KRI. Female youth in both countries who are out of school are more likely to marry early.
- Female youth who had unintended premarital pregnancies in South Sudan dropped out of school, but half re-enrolled in subsequent years.
- Separated, divorced, and widowed female youth have particular difficulties in accessing school because of cultural, economic, and social factors.
- Female youth with physical, psychological, or intellectual disabilities were consistently unable to access, attend, or succeed in school due to a lack of adapted supports and services.
- Female youth who were successful in their educational goals had high levels of perseverance and resilience.