Pathways of Change
Vol. 13 No. s2 (2025): Pathways of Change, Part II
https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2025.13059

Interventions for early marriage in low- and middle-income nations: a systematic review

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Received: 9 September 2024
Accepted: 20 March 2025
Published: 18 June 2025
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Early marriages result in the emergence of a harmful intergenerational cycle. Various policies and programs have been implemented to address the issue of early marriage at both global and local levels. However, early marriages continue to occur world-wide. The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze interventions in early marriage in an effort to offer different interventions. This systematic review used MeSH-based keywords from Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Sciences, and PubMed databases. The PRISMA and The JBI checklists were used as guidelines. Data searches were conducted using Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Sciences, and PubMed databases for articles published in the last five years. Fifteen articles mentioned interventions to delay early marriage, such as cash transfers, community-identified pro- grams, mentorship initiatives, youth clubs, youth information centers, and interventions targeting married adolescents. To effectively delay early marriage and improve adolescent well-being, multi- level interventions targeting economic, social, psychological, and health-related factors are needed. Future programs should integrate economic support with educational and SRH services, ensure sustained engagement with communities and families, and include long-term evaluations to assess the impact over time.

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Interventions for early marriage in low- and middle-income nations: a systematic review. (2025). Healthcare in Low-Resource Settings, 13(s2). https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2025.13059