Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies

This research examines the connections between adolescent marriage, agency, and schooling in rural Honduras. Through an in-depth qualitative case study, we address the questions: (1) In what ways, if any, do girls exercise agency in their decision to marry? (2) How might education enhance girls’ agency, expanding their choice sets and delaying the age of marriage? We argue that a lack of understanding of the decision-making processes of young girls impedes the design and implementation of interventions to address early marriage. Our in-depth, qualitative case study allows us to document how the agency that girls exercise is simultaneously thin, opportunistic, accommodating, and oppositional. Stemming from these findings, we suggest that schools can enhance girls’ agency through a number of policies including: (1) the provision of resources to design and implement teacher training and curriculum development; (2) flexible enrollment policies and innovative/non-traditional educational delivery (particularly via mobile device); and (3) linking educational efforts with those that create employment opportunities or financial assistance to attend university.