Percepciones de las adolescentes de 14 a 17 años sobre las uniones tempranas en la parroquia Valle de la Virgen, del cantón Pedro Carbo, durante el año 2024.

Abstract

Early unions are a harmful practice that violates the rights of adolescents and represents a serious form of gender violence. This social problem undermines the comprehensive development of adolescents, as it exposes them to unplanned pregnancies, limits their personal development and perpetuates intergenerational poverty. The purpose of this research is to understand how early unions are manifested and addressed in adolescents aged 14 to 17 years in the rural parish of Valle de la Virgen, to identify the influencing factors and the impact on their lives. A mixed approach used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, of a descriptive-explanatory type, to determine the characteristics and generalities of the object of study, supported by a convenience sample. The population consisted of 128 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years, female, and ten key actors who given an in-depth interview. The results found reflect teenage pregnancy as a cause and consequence at the same time, as well as the internalization of social and gender norms that limit their role to being wives and mothers, supported by social pressure from family and partners. In addition, there are structural causes at the family, economic, social, and political level that influence a teenager to enter an early union. Another significant result reveals that in the Valle de la Virgen parish there are no effective programs to prevent, eradicate or reduce these harmful practices.