Findings and Lessons Learned from Developing a Five-Year Community-Based Intervention for Preventing Early Marriage in Rural Gambia

Mat Lowe, Society for the Study of Women's Health (SSWH)

Early marriage below the age of 18 is common among girls in West Africa. This study aims to document the findings and lessons learned from developing a five-year project for preventing early marriage for girls in rural Gambia. At baseline, the project aimed to uncover the social and cultural factors contributing to early marriage. The baseline survey found that ethnicity and the fear that girls may engage in premarital sex were two important factors associated with early marriage. This knowledge was used to design and implement a package of interventions that included community engagement forums and discussion sessions on early marriage and capacity building for key community stakeholders. Evaluation of the effects of the project package of interventions revealed its contribution to an increase in age at marriage for girls from 16 to18 and a change in knowledge of and attitudes towards early marriage in the project implementation communities.