Author(s)

Adeline Kasanj Kalum¹, Daniel Kitambo Kabiengele², Dieudonne Lumanu Mposhi³, Regine Nkusu Kalenga⁴, Bertin Mpaka Mpaka⁵, Mediatrice Kasheta Mabondo⁵, Kalala Odia⁵, Ennock Mbuyi Kabeya⁶, Valentin Kabambi Bukasa⁶, Emmanuel Mpetemba Mubala⁷, Jean Christophe Bukasa Tshilonda^6*

¹Higher Pedagogical Institute of Kabinda, Kabinda, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
²Higher Institute of Agronomic Studies and Veterinary Lukashi, Kabinda, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
³Highter Institute of Medical Techniques of Lubao, Lubao, Democratic Republic of Congo.
⁴Higher Institute of Medical Techniques of Kindu, Kindu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
⁵Higher Institute of Medical Techniques of Kabinda, Kabinda, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
⁶Higher Institute of Medical Techniques of Mbujimayi, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
⁷Higher Institute of Medical Techniques of Miabi, Miabi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Introduction: To determine the frequency and risk factors of early marriage among girls 12 - 18 years in the city of KABINDA. Material and methods: This study is descriptive cross. It was conducted in 5304 households in two Kamukungu health areas and Kilo located KAMUKUNGU neighborhood. The sample consisted of 1227 women of childbearing age, married at an early stage that had been subjected to a questionnaire that was used as data collection tool. Results: The early marriage rate among girls 12 - 18 years is 23.1%. Factors encouraging this early marriage are poverty (continued to unemployed parents, resourceful and load carriers) (33.9%), culture and custom (31.4%), family and social pressure (17.9%) and non-use of contraceptive methods (17.2%). Conclusion: Early marriage in our communities is an all too common phenomenon in the DRC in general and particularly in the province of South Kivu, or one in four women currently aged 40 - 45 had married before the age of 18. This is also the situation in the province of Lomani and precisely in the city of KABINDA. To do this, it would popularize laws and legal texts on the protection of children especially in education, and marriage continues to raise awareness of the city of KABINDA and prevent child marriage by bringing to 18, the minimum age for marriage and support oriented programs to protect and promote the rights of adolescent girls.

Early Marriage, Frequency, Factors Favoring Teenager

Kalum, A. , Kabiengele, D. , Mposhi, D. , Kalenga, R. , Mpaka, B. , Mabondo, M. , Odia, K. , Kabeya, E. , Bukasa, V. , Mubala, E. and Tshilonda, J. (2019) Early Marriage in Girls 12 - 18 Years: Frequency and Predisposing Factors in the City of Kabinda, Province Lomani/DRC Congo. Open Access Library Journal, 6, 1-6. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1105268.