Page 20 - IJPS-11-3

International Journal of
Population Studies Nuptiality patterns among Ethiopian women

in the fertility transition across a large part of the world, Nuptiality patterns were assessed in terms of the timing,
and the change in nuptiality acts as a regulator of general magnitude of marriage, and marital instability of women.
fertility and determines the onset of fertility change. The timing of marriage was measured by age at first
Marriage is a social institution deeply embedded in marriage, and the magnitude of marriage was measured
cultural norms, economic realities, and gender roles. For by the cumulative incidence function (CIF). Numerous
instance, during periods of economic prosperity, marriage studies have focused on the determinants of age at first
rates may surge as individuals feel more secure establishing marriage, but there is a lack of longitudinal studies that
families (Parsons et al., 2015). Similarly, cultural shifts track individuals over time to understand how nuptiality
regarding gender roles can influence marriage patterns. patterns evolve across different life stages and historical
As women gain greater educational and economic contexts (Imron et al., 2020; Khalajabadi & Rahimi, 2019;
independence, they may choose to prioritize careers or Makheti, 2008; Singh et al., 2023). Gaining insights into
delay marriage for personal fulfillment (Alteneiji, 2023). the factors that influence shifts in nuptiality patterns is
Evidence shows that women are marrying later in life, crucial for policymakers and researchers, as it aids in
and the percentage of women across all age groups who assessing social, economic, and demographic trends within
never marry is growing (Hamedanchi et al., 2020). Rising a country.
educational levels, greater engagement in paid work outside To reduce the high number of early marriages,
the home, and the creation of roles for women outside the Ethiopian government issued a revised family law
marriage and motherhood are widely cited as the causes of proclamation, setting the minimum legal age for marriage
shifts in union formation (Lindstrom & Woubalem, 2003). for both sexes at 18 (The Revised Family Code of FDRE,
A few decades ago, women around the world used to 2000). In 2000, Ethiopia had one of the highest rates of
marry at a relatively young age. The percentage of married early marriage in sub-Saharan Africa. Marital experiences
couples and the rate at which new couples enter marriages of Ethiopian women were characterized as early and nearly
vary widely across nations. In many sub-Saharan African universal; however, over time, the nuptiality pattern has
countries, marriage is still often seen as “early and near- deviated, with increased variability in age at first marriage
universal.” However, for many women, this is no longer the and overall marriage prevalence across different regions
reality. There is a noticeable trend in several countries in (Shapiro & Gebreselassie, 2014). In Ethiopia, research has
the region toward delaying marriage, with early marriage primarily focused on assessing the magnitude of marriage,
becoming less common (Ayiga & Rampagane, 2013; examining the timing of marriage, and analyzing trends
Shapiro & Gebreselassie, 2014). Ethiopia stands out for its and regulators of age at first marriage (Dureti et al., 2022;
relatively slow decline in the percentage of young women Gurmu & Etana, 2014). The elements of change in nuptiality
in unions. The country has made significant progress in patterns over time have not yet been fully understood.
recent decades in increasing access to health and education Consequently, this study assessed how nuptiality patterns
services, allowing it to take advantage of demographic have changed and identified the elements explaining the
opportunities and accelerate its demographic transition change in age at first marriage using the 1965 – 1969 and
(Sewnet, 2020). 1980 – 1984 synthetic birth cohorts of women.
Ethiopia has a longstanding cultural tradition of early 1.1. Theoretical perspective
marriage, driven by a complex web of societal norms, The life-course theory (LCT) offers a helpful framework for
religious factors, economic considerations, and gender understanding how the age at first marriage and marriage
dynamics. Among sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia has patterns change over time. According to this theoretical
one of the highest rates of early marriage, despite recent perspective, the historical and social context in which
improvements. According to research by the National a person lives profoundly shapes their life. The timing
Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices of Ethiopia, of important life events is influenced by an interplay of
57% of women marry before turning 15. In northern socioeconomic, cultural, and policy factors (Elder, 2008).
Ethiopia, where early marriages are most prevalent, girls From the LCT perspective, marriage patterns do not exist
are married as young as 8 or 9 years old. Although common in isolation but rather reflect the broader social, economic,
throughout the nation, early marriage rates in the Amhara and institutional structures of a given time and place.
and Tigray regions are significantly higher than the national For instance, changes in female labor force participation,
average (82% in Amhara, 79% in Tigray, 64% in Benshangul, education level, contraceptive access, and gender norms
64% in Gambella, and 46% in Afar) (Alazbih et al., 2023). can impact the age at first marriage and the prevalence
This study focuses on examining marriage patterns of marriage in a population (Bongaarts et al., 2017; Geist,
among women in Ethiopia, referred to as nuptiality. 2017; Liefbroer & Corijn, 1999). The LCT thus underscores

Volume 11 Issue 3 (2025) 14 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.3531