Patriarchal Contexts of Female Early Marriage among Afghan Migrants in the City of Yazd

The present study deals with the underlying causes of early marriage among Afghan immigrant women residing in Yazd. Through a qualitative research method of grounded theory, the experience of early marriage among 20 Afghan immigrant women has been analyzed via in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding and findings include 17 main and one core categories, which are presented in a paradigm model and theoretical schemas. The results suggest that early marriage occurs in a patriarchal context, which reflects the supremacy of men’s power in a legitimate and accepted manner, and is constructed through all out violence, the devaluing females, and, in turn, the added value to males. To deal with dominant patriarchy, women have adopted strategies such as running away, over-adapting, and shaky resistance, the consequences of which are the process of self-harm, the ruin of wishes-emotions, dissatisfaction with life, and physical complications of early marriage.