Abstract

The proliferation of Christian apostolic groups, commonly known as Masowe or African Initiated Churches (AIC) in Zimbabwe threatens girls’ rights through religiously imposed marriages. Using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from 2005, 2010, and 2015, I investigate the relationship between residing in areas with high concentrations of apostolic religious groups and the prevalence of non-apostolic child marriage. My results, which control for regional fixed effects, show a significant effect of living in regions with high apostolic concentrations on child marriage rates for non-apostolics. The findings suggest that child marriage is rooted in not only economic deprivation but also in religious proximity. To reduce child marriage, policies should be aimed at developing rural communities where child marriage is prevalent.

Keywords: Zimbabwe, Child Marriage, Religious groups, Peer effects, Neighborhood effects

How to Cite:

Chiuswa, S., (2024) “Beyond Congregations: Impacts of Apostolic Concentration on Non-Apostolic Child Marriage Rates in Zimbabwe”, UCL Journal of Economics 3(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.2755-0877.1881