Poverty, social pressure, cultural norms, and inadequate resources contribute to early marriages

Lhakpa Quendren

Zhemgang—Twenty-nine-year-old Sonam (name changed) lives a life of hardship in a remote village of Zhemgang. A mother of four, she spends her days herding over 20 cattle, carrying her one-year-old son piggyback all day long.

Married at just 14, she had never considered marriage at such a young age. But after meeting her former husband—also a teenager—while herding cattle, they developed a mutual attraction. They stayed together for five years until Sonam was 18, with two children to care for.

The eldest of four siblings, Sonam had to leave school midway through sixth grade to help her parents with farming and cattle.

“We were neighbours and met while herding cattle,” Sonam recalls. “We decided to stay together, but if we had stayed single, we would have faced social shaming.”

When her husband left her for another woman, Sonam faced the added burden of raising her children alone. Life was not smooth sailing for her. Four years later, she decided to give her life a second chance by remarrying her current husband—five years younger than her—with whom she now has two more children.

Because of the fear of stigma and having a baby as a minor, Sonam opted for home delivery for her two older children, even though she knew it was not the safest option. She also does not receive child support (Sothue) from her former husband, as their divorce was mutual due to potential legal implications.

“I initially did not plan for a family, and it was an unintended pregnancy,” she added. “However, I did not miss any of the monthly antenatal care visits to the hospital.”

Sonam’s experience is one of many in Zhemgang, where poverty and cultural pressures often lead to early marriages, some as young as 15. Like Sonam, many girls in rural areas are forced to drop out of school to support their families, and early marriages are a socially accepted norm.

Cultural norms and social pressure

Traditionally, it is said that when a son turns 15, he must take over the axe from his father, while a daughter, at 15, must take over the weaving beater from her mother, signifying their readiness for parenthood. Parents also believe that the onset of menstruation as the age of readiness for motherhood. 

Karma (name changed), who married at 15, is now an 18-year-old mother of two children—a three-year-old and a six-month-old son. Eldest of three siblings, she dropped out of school due to financial difficulties.

Karma’s father, a farmer, explains that daughters are often seen as helpers around the house, taking on household chores while also working on the family farm. “Daughters are helpful in taking care of the home and assisting their parents,” he says.

Karma’s husband, a carpenter, is the family’s sole breadwinner.

Another 18-year-old girl, who dropped out of ninth grade, was married to a 35-year-old divorced man when she was 17.

Local government leaders attribute early marriage in Zhemgang to a combination of cultural beliefs, poverty, and limited educational opportunities.

Local leaders said that early marriages continue despite being a violation of children’s rights, which prohibit marriage under the age of 18.

A parent shared that, despite the desire for their daughters to continue their education, many parents feel powerless to intervene. “A daughter, often the eldest, has to stay back and help the parents,” the parent said. “It is not because the parents do not want them to study, but for various reasons.”

A local government leader said that, in the case of a love marriage, parents may hesitate to advise or intervene in the relationship. “We have to consider the long-term consequences of our interventions. Children have their own plans and want to do what they want to do.”

“I encouraged my daughter to complete her education, but she didn’t listen, as her Class XII results were not good,” a mother said. “We can’t stop children from engaging in sexual relationships. It still happens in boarding schools, despite strict rules.”

According to locals, sexual incidents mostly occur during vacations when students return to the villages. “Some children think they are mature enough to engage in sexual activities in their late teens, while others feel they are not ready for that at such a young age,” said another parent.

In some rural communities, teenage pregnancies are normalised. They not recognise certain acts, such as forced sex within marriage or sexual harassment, as abuse. Instead, this behaviour is often dismissed as “normal” aspect of growing up.

Barriers to reproductive health access

Some parents said that reproductive advocacy may do more harm than good. They believe some of these initiatives are merely implemented without bringing about real change. “The advocacy should go beyond reproductive health, as it may encourage adolescent sexual activity,” a remarried mother said.

“For many couples, marrying at a young age is a common issue that often contributes to the breakdown of their marriage,” she said.

Teenage pregnancies bring a range of long-term social challenges and struggles, which can have lasting impacts on both the young mother and her child, as well as the wider community.

One of the major obstacles teenage mothers face in Zhemgang is access to healthcare. The remote areas lack pharmacies, and many teenagers are unable to access essential pregnancy-related medications or contraceptives. Stigma and fear of legal repercussions also deter young girls from seeking help at hospitals or clinics.

In emergencies, girls have to resort to bringing emergency pills from Gelephu or travel to bordering towns in India for abortions. There have been instances where some teenage girls who suffered miscarriages were unable to access post-miscarriage treatment.

Healthcare workers acknowledge that some cases may go unreported. “This may be happening in remote villages due to limited exposure, despite awareness. We are working hard to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths.”

One of the hospitals in Zhemgang reported one case of teenage pregnancy around 2020. For those who are unable to visit the hospitals, community outreach clinics provide health-related care, while community health workers (Drongyul Moenpa) deliver the services at home.

While there are a few cases of teenage marriages, families are planned only after reaching the age of 18, according to healthcare workers. For instance, there is a teenage girl who married at 17 and gave birth only at 22.

The RENEW Community Service Centre in Zhemgang has not received any cases of teenage pregnancies so far. It mostly provides support to divorced women who are struggling to receive their Sothue and those dealing with domestic violence.

“We provide awareness and explain the support available to them, but some opt for internal mediation (Nangkha Nangdrig) with the perpetrator,” said an official. “We also offer legal aid to support physically challenged clients, in addition to providing them with emotional support.”

In 2021 alone, more than 237 cases of teenage pregnancy were registered across 18 dzongkhags. However, the actual figures are likely higher, as many early marriages occur within families and go unregistered.

This story is supported by an EU-funded project managed by Save the Children Bhutan in collaboration with Bhutan Transparency Initiative and RENEW, implemented by the Bhutan Media Foundation.