Zambia has one of the highest child marriage rates in the world. The reasons behind this are complex and rooted in the social and cultural context. This study aimed to understand why child marriage is more common in Eastern Province, despite lower poverty and similar teenage pregnancy rates, compared to Western Province. The research combined a rapid review of the literature and findings from three stakeholder meetings to explore the main drivers and potential preventive interventions for Eastern province and beyond.

The study revealed that poverty and limited opportunities, linked to low education levels, play a major role in driving child marriage in Zambia. Societal responses to teenage pregnancy and notions of shame differ between Eastern and Western provinces. In Eastern Province, teenage pregnancy more often directly leads to child marriage, while in Western Province, with a strong historical emphasis on education, there is a stronger desire for children to finish school, including when faced with teenage pregnancy.

In conclusion, to effectively tackle child marriage in Zambia, interventions need to target the root causes. Especially in Eastern province, it is important to address sociocultural norms related to gender, sexuality, shame, and teenage pregnancy; and there is a need to strengthen positive attitudes towards education. Conditional cash transfer programmes, which provide money to families if their daughters stay in school, could help reduce the financial reasons for child marriage in the country. Efforts to increase access to sexual and reproductive health information and services are needed across Zambia.