Education & Matrimony

Does education affect women’s age at first marriage in Pakistan?

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Answer

Direct answer

Pakistan DHS analysis shows a strong association between higher education and later female age at first marriage. In the 2017–18 DHS summary, women with no education had a median of 18.7 years while women with higher education had a median of 24.9 years. The relationship may reflect schooling duration, household resources, residence, work opportunities, and social factors. It is an aggregate association and does not prove that education alone causes a particular woman to marry later.

18.7 yrsmedian with no education
24.9 yrsmedian with higher education
Evidence

Sources used

National Survey · 2019

Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18

National Institute of Population Studies and The DHS Program

National survey evidence for marriage timing, women, households and health indicators.View source
Academic Research · 2022

Factors associated with female age at first marriage in Pakistan

PLOS One

Peer-reviewed analysis of all Pakistan DHS waves, including selection effects in younger age cohorts.View source
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