Exploring early marriages: evidence from türkiye on the roles of education and regional inequalities

Abstract

This study investigates the educational and regional determinants, as well as education-related inequalities, in early marriage among women in T & uuml;rkiye, utilising data from the 2003 to 2018 rounds of the Turkish Demographic and Health Surveys. Logistic and ordinary least squares regressions were applied to explore the factors influencing early marriage. Concentration indices and their normalised and corrected versions were calculated to quantify education-related inequalities, and Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition was conducted to identify the drivers of these inequalities between western and eastern of T & uuml;rkiye. Findings reveal that women's and husbands' education levels, along with regional differences, significantly affect early marriage, while parental education shows no notable influence. The analysis highlights that early marriages are more prevalent among less-educated women, with greater homogeneity observed in eastern regions. Decomposition results indicate that disparities in women's and husbands' education are the primary contributors to regional inequalities in early marriage. Addressing these inequalities requires not only ongoing educational interventions but also targeted programmes to reduce regional and developmental disparities, thereby fostering greater equity.