Will You Marry Me, Later?: Age-of-Marriage Laws and Child Marriage in Mexico

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Human Resources
Year: 2023
Volume: 58
Issue: 1

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We examine the impact of raising the minimum age of marriage to 18 years old in Mexico. Using a difference-in-differences model that takes advantage of the staggered adoption of this reform across states, we find a large reduction in the number of registered child marriages. However, we find no effect on school attendance or early fertility rates. We provide evidence that this is driven by a substitution of formal marriage for informal unions. This suggests that when informal unions are a viable option for young couples, age-of-marriage reforms are not enough to prevent early unions and their negative consequences.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:uwp:jhriss:v:58:y:2023:i:1:p:221-259
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-24