site.btaEarly Roma Marriages Cluster in South-Central, South-Eastern and North-Eastern Bulgaria, Report Finds

Early marriages in Roma communities are concentrated in south-central Bulgaria (Plovdiv and Pazardzhik), south-eastern Bulgaria (Sliven and Yambol) and north-eastern Bulgaria, according to a report by the Amalipe Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance published on the organization's website. The report, titled Early Marriages in Roma Communities in Bulgaria: Trends, Factors and Pathways for Change, tracks how traditions, poverty, low levels of education, social isolation and distrust of institutions sustained the practice. It also examines the impact of this practice on the health, education and social integration of Roma girls.

Whereas early marriages were once mainly arranged by parents, they are now increasingly driven by young people’s own wishes and initiative, with parental consent still tied to the requirement that the bride be a virgin. Parents remain a driving factor in some of the most conservative groups and among the most marginalized families, the analysis showed.

The report sets out specific recommendations for state institutions, the education system and local communities on prevention, support and empowering girls at risk. It offers practical guidance on activities that help prevent early marriages across different Roma communities, Amalipe noted.

While there is a decent legal and regulatory framework for responding to cases of early marriage, there is a serious problem with enforcement, the report's authors said. Institutions often fail to act preventively and do not respond to early marriages, treating them as a Roma tradition and believing "it is not possible to achieve an impact," the report found. The authors said the problem could be addressed through timely work with parents and young people.

The report said prevention mattered because early marriages had long-term negative effects on social integration, economic opportunities and gender equality. Studies by CEGA (2023) and the World Bank (2014) showed that girls of Roma origin were many times more likely to marry before turning 18 than the rest of the population, the report noted. For many, this implies leaving school early, limited opportunities for development and long-term dependence on their partner and the partner’s family.

An action plan has been developed in towns with the highest number of births to underage mothers, State Agency for Child Protection Chair Teodora Ivanova said in late October. She spoke at a roundtable on the prevention of child and early marriages and early births, where experts discussed measures to address the issue.