Young Men’s Transition to Adulthood: Relationship Formation and Marriage in Maradi, Niger

This qualitative ethnographic study provides critical insights to better understand influences and mechanisms behind young men’s and women’s marriage formation in the Maradi region of Niger. The formative research was conducted by The OASIS Initiative’s Center of Excellence in Women’s Health and Empowerment at the Université Abdou Moumouni in Niamey and is co-published with Equimundo.

The ethnographic research described in this report is part of a larger International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES)-inspired study conducted in Niger to understand the sexual and reproductive health motivations, attitudes, and behaviors of adolescent girls and their husbands in the Dosso and Maradi regions. More information about the broader IMAGES-inspired study can be found in the full report, Child Marriage, Fertility, and Family Planning in Niger: Results from a Study Inspired by the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES).

The purpose of this study was to inform the design of programs for young men aimed at transforming inequitable gender norms and unequal power dynamics within the Sahel region. Its objectives included to develop a more nuanced understanding of the decision-making processes and norms influencing young men’s marriage-related choices, as well as to explore the aspirations and subjective understandings of young men as they relate to relationship formation and marriage.

This report shares key findings, quotes, and conclusions from the qualitative study.

The full, quantitive study report is available here.
Read some of the key findings here.