SPATIOTEMPORAL VARIATION OF EARLY MARRIAGE IN BABILE WOREDA, EASTERN HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIYA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted in Babile woreda under the title “Spatiotemporal Variation of Early Marriage in Babile Woreda, Eastern Hararghe Zone, Oromiya National Regional State, Ethiopia”. It was to investigate the spatiotemporal variation of early marriage among married women in Babile wroreda. The cross-sectional and longitudinal study design was applied in this study and 385 Households (206 HHs from urban and 179 HHs from three surrounding rural kebeles) were selected as a sample for this study. Using Chi square and binary logistic regression as statistical analyzing tools, the study found that the prevalence of early marriage in Babile woreda was 48.8%. However, its distribution was spatially various among rural and urban residents. Accordingly, early marriage was as prevalent as 61.5% and 37.9% among rural and urban respectively. Temporally also there was a fluctuation of occurrence of early marriage among the women married in the last five years. Accordingly, it was 43.5% in 2004, 53% in 2005, 48.8% in 2006 and 2007 and 51.6% in 2008. Moreover, the study shows that early marriage was caused by different socio economic and cultural factors among in the study area. Accordingly, current age, educational status of respondents, parental control, cultural as well as religious influences and ethnicity were the main factors significantly associated with early marriage in the study area. Thus, it was recommended by the investigator that different concerned bodies and stakeholders should collaborate in the prevention of this harmful traditional practice.