Community-Based Interventions for Preventing Child Marriage in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Gender Studies
• Sociology

Background:

• Child marriage (CM) is a manifestation of gender inequality with severe health consequences for adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Community participation is crucial for CM prevention, yet research on community-led interventions remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of community-based interventions in decreasing the incidence of child marriage in LMICs.
• To identify key components of successful community-led strategies for CM prevention.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines.
• Searched major databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science) for peer-reviewed studies from 2015-2024.
• Narrative synthesis of eight high-to-moderate quality studies, analyzed using frameworks on community approaches, participation, and marriageability drivers.

Main Results:

• A tension exists between intervention scalability and long-term sustainability.
• Economic interventions alone were insufficient without accompanying normative shifts; interventions focusing on desirability (dialogue, skills training) better influenced girls' perceptions.
• Community engagement is critical; 'shared leadership' fostered local enforcement, unlike passive consultation.

Conclusions:

• Effective CM reduction strategies require a combination of economic incentives, community mobilization, and vocational training to enhance girls' perceived value.
• Policy shifts towards integrated 'structural-plus' approaches are needed, moving beyond 'empowerment-lite' models.
• Successful programs transform communities into active owners and enforcers, ensuring sustained impact.