Measuring Social Norms Related to Child Marriage Among Adult Decision-Makers of Young Girls in Phalombe and Thyolo, Malawi

This article summarises the findings of a baseline survey assessing social norms related to child marriage in Phalombe and Thyolo districts in Southern Malawi.

Based on the insights of almost 1,500 adults, the findings indicate that in these two districts, child marriage is not a strong social norm per se. It is rather indirectly caused by other norms related to unplanned pregnancy and is linked to poverty.

The article uses a social norm theory and measures, to assess the role of social norms in driving child marriage in Southern Malawi. Applying this theory can help inform programmatic approaches to address and end child marriage in the above districts.