Relationships between Gender, Age-Group, Level of Education, and the Understanding of Marriage Rights among Young Marakwet People

In transverse backgrounds, especially where legal pluralism and deep-rooted customary practices coexist, young peoples’ knowledge of marital entitlements is shaped by local rites and kinship norms and statutory laws. This study was conducted to investigate young Marakwet peoples’ understanding of marriage rights. It has therefore, examined how gender, age-group and educational level attainment can shape that knowledge. The study sort to respond to the research question that wanted to establish the relationship between a young Marakwet person’s level of understanding of Marakwet marriage rights and the following social characteristics gender, age group and level of education. Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1977) was used to guide the study. The study targeted 300 participants from Marakwet community. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to identify the 90 respondents from three Marakwet Sub-Counties completed the instrument. Cross sectional survey design was used in the study. Descriptive–analytical cross-sectional survey that used a 20-item Youth Understanding of Marriage Rights Achievement Test was used to collect data (MRAT). A multi-stage random sample of 90 respondents completed the instruments. The analyses showed a moderate overall level of understanding (58.6%) with strong cultural uptake of marriage purpose (94.7%).It also revealed a weak awareness of statutory protections and constitutional legal awareness (25.3%). Inferential tests confirmed significant demographic disparities with males (13.04) outperforming females (10.21). The study findings revealed youths’ moderate understanding, strong cultural purposes and weak understanding on statutory protections and prohibitions. This is significantly patterned by gender, age and education where males and older people showing higher awareness. The study recommends school-based culturally sensitive rights education and community outreach for all young people to be conducted. It also recommends engaging the local leaderships to support via availing legal services that promote youth capacity building on marital rights education.