By Azerbaijan.US Editorial Board
Early marriage in Azerbaijan – particularly in regions bordering the country’s southern frontier – can no longer be framed as a private family choice. It has become a systemic social phenomenon, shaped by poverty, the collapse of educational pathways, and the effective absence of legal enforcement.
Today, early marriage cuts short the lives and futures of thousands of girls. Tomorrow, it confronts the country with deep social, demographic, and even security risks.
The geography of poverty and abandoned futures
Recent observations show that the spread of early marriage is not random. It is concentrated in regions marked by low economic development, high unemployment, and weak social services.
In these environments, education ceases to be seen as a pathway to opportunity for girls. Instead, it is increasingly viewed by families as an unnecessary burden. Early marriage is presented as a solution – when in reality, it merely pushes the problem forward to the next generation.
The numbers that never reach official statistics
An analysis based on non-official and international reports over the past three years points to a troubling trend.
In 2022, the number of underage girls considered at risk of early marriage was estimated at around 4,000. In 2023, the figure approached 4,500. In 2024, amid growing economic pressure and weakening social oversight in the regions, the situation deteriorated further.
Official statistics fail to capture the real scale of the issue. A significant share of such marriages are formalized through informal channels or remain entirely unregistered.
Sex-selective abortions and early marriage: one mindset
Early marriage is closely linked to the practice of sex-selective abortion. For years, Azerbaijan has ranked among the countries with the world’s highest gender imbalance at birth.
Recent birth statistics show 113-116 boys born for every 100 girls – a ratio that has no biological explanation. It is the result of systemic discrimination. Girls are deemed “undesirable” before birth and later treated as a burden to be removed from the family through early marriage.
Sex-selective abortion and early marriage are two consecutive stages of the same worldview.
A direct path to human trafficking
One of the most dangerous consequences of this system is the growing risk of human trafficking. Girls removed from education, deprived of legal awareness, and exposed to domestic violence become the most vulnerable group in informal labor markets, forced labor, and cross-border exploitation.
International experience is unequivocal: countries with widespread early marriage also see parallel growth in trafficking of women and children. Azerbaijan faces the risk of shifting from a transit country to a country of origin.
The cost: mothers’ and infants’ lives
Another severe consequence is increased maternal and infant mortality. Medical data consistently show that mothers under 18 face significantly higher risks of pregnancy complications, difficult childbirth, and infant loss.
In the regions, a substantial share of maternal and child deaths is directly linked to early pregnancy. This is no longer a health issue alone – it is the outcome of social and legal irresponsibility.
Why society remains silent
One of the key reasons the problem persists is the absence of strong public condemnation. Early marriage continues to be normalized under the labels of “family matter,” “tradition,” or “honor.”
Within this logic, a girl is not a subject of protection but a social liability. Until this perception changes, no awareness campaign can produce lasting results.
The state and institutional responsibility
At the top of this chain stands the state.
If parents who trade their children’s futures are the direct perpetrators, then institutions that tolerate, facilitate, or ignore these practices carry political and legal responsibility.
Laws prohibiting early marriage exist. But where enforcement is absent, this is no longer a legal gap – it is institutional negligence.
Corruption in local administrations, bribery to “lower” marriage age requirements, silence from schools and social services, and selective law enforcement have turned early marriage into a risk zone effectively outside state control.
The state cannot absolve itself of this responsibility.
Because rising early marriage is not merely a social or demographic issue. It represents the loss of human capital, the expansion of trafficking risks, and the weakening of the country’s future economic development.
Turning a blind eye is not neutrality. It is silent consent. And silent consent is also a form of responsibility.
