A PhD dissertation titled “Spatial Variation of Early Marriage in Babylon Province” was recently debated in the Department of Applied Geography at the College of Education for the Humanities, University of Kerbala. Lamia Rahib Mudibconducted the study under the supervision of Prof. Raja’ Yaseen Abdullah (PhD).
The study aims to reveal the proportion of the population married at an early age in Babylon Province and to highlight their spatial distribution by gender. It also examined the demographic, economic, and social characteristics of early marriages and their spatial variation across administrative units, in addition to identifying the main causes contributing to the persistence and growth of early marriage.
The findings indicates that early marriage is associated with several characteristics, including demographic factors (such as age), social factors (such as educational level of those married early, family size, type of housing, and wife’s order in polygamous households), and economic conditions (such as employment status, household income, and home ownership).
The dissertation concludes that early marriage rates are significantly higher among females than males across all administrative units. It also revealed the risks and negative consequences associated with this phenomenon, arising from various contributing factors analysed in the study.
The researcher predicts that the number of early marriages would continue to rise by 2033 if the current contributing factors persist, warning that such an increase could have serious social implications.
Dissertation Committee Members:
• Prof. Ahmed Hammoud Muhsin (PhD) Chairman
• Prof. Jawad Kadhim Ubaid (PhD) Member
• Prof. Riyadh Kadhim Salman (PhD) Member
• Asst. Prof. Sahar Abdulhadi Hussein (PhD) Member
• Asst. Prof. Uday Fadel Abed (PhD) Member
• Prof. Salma Abdul Razzaq Abd Layth (PhD) Member
• Prof. Raja Yaseen Abdullah (PhD) Supervisor and Member
