ABS 040: Stitching Survival: Examining the Correlation Between the Garment Industry and Child Marriages in Bangladesh (2010-2019)

Zahin Suzan ¹

¹ Binghamton University

The Van Wickle Journal (2026) Volume 2, ABS040

Introduction: While Bangladesh has seen significant economic growth throughout the garment industry, child marriage rates remain among the highest globally. This research investigates links between the garment industry and child marriage rates specifically within Bangladesh. By utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study analyzes labor statistics from pre-existing research while incorporating ethnographic interviews with children affected by marriages and garment workers. The primary goal is to bridge the disconnect presented between traditional Bangladeshi household normalities and the economic data that has been presented in the past without consistent survey analytics. Preliminary findings have suggested that while industrial wages offer a short-term economic alternative to marriage, ultimately, dowry is preferred as most families struggle with long-term financial insecurity. In many rural villages, marriage is viewed as a viable path to obtaining a stable life for girls. However, the big question remains as to how the two topics specifically correlate. Is it due to the lower garment production that creates fewer jobs or the higher garment production that produces more jobs for eligible bachelors? Data collection is currently ongoing, with remaining interviews focusing on the narratives of child laborers and husbands who have worked in factories. Through these interviews, I hope to learn how gendered expectations of labor influence marriage rates for children, and what role industrial wages play in funding or replacing dowries. Ultimately, the aim is to provide a qualitative aspect to existing quantitative data that can advocate for stricter human rights laws that provide safer spaces for girls to prioritize education.

Methods: Phase I: (Quantitative Analysis) Systematic review of existing labor and marriage statistics in Bangladesh (2010-2019) to establish macro-level correlations.

Phase II: (Qualitative Ethnography) Conducting ethnographic interviews with garment workers and children affected by early marriage. Utilizing narrative inquiry to capture lived experiences.

Phase III: Current Fieldwork (In-Progress) Active data collection in Bangladesh targeting underrepresented perspectives, including child laborers, older women that were victim to child marriages, and male factory workers.

Results: Early fieldwork suggests a potential trend where industrial employment may inadvertently function as a social catalyst; initial interviews indicate that factory-based income can provide the perceived "financial stability" used to facilitate traditional marriage arrangements. While quantitative data tracks industrial growth, current qualitative narratives are revealing how marriage persists as a perceived long-term survival strategy amidst ongoing systemic financial insecurity and dowry expectations.

Discussion: As the garment industry continues to expand, understanding whether it functions as a social safety net or a marital catalyst is critical for developing effective human rights protections, especially for children. Therefore, future recommendations involve stricter human rights laws within garment sectors to ensure industrial growth does not facilitate child marriage. Additionally, implementing community-based initiatives that prioritize long-term schooling over immediate, precarious child marriage.