For many Ezidi girls in Armenia, education is still interrupted too early. While their classmates continue preparing for exams, future studies and professional life, some girls are instead pushed into marriage before they have had the chance to complete school or make independent choices about their future.
The issue is not only about marriage. It is about childhood, education, dignity and the right of Ezidi girls to decide who they want to become.
Early marriage is sometimes defended as a way to protect identity, family honour or tradition. Some families fear that if girls continue their education, they may move away from cultural values or choose a path that older generations do not approve of. These arguments are often presented as protection, but in practice they can become a barrier that limits girls’ lives before they have even begun.
This creates a painful contradiction. Education is sometimes treated as a threat to Ezidi identity, when in reality it can be one of the strongest tools for preserving and developing it. An educated generation of Ezidi women can strengthen families, protect cultural memory, participate in public life and help ensure that the Ezidi people are represented with dignity and knowledge.
The issue is also sometimes wrongly connected to religion. The Ezidi faith, Sharfadin, does not require girls to marry as children. The practice is better understood as a social and historical problem, shaped by old fears, pressure from surrounding societies and inherited customs that have continued for generations. Presenting early marriage as a religious duty only hides the real problem and makes it harder to protect girls.
The numbers show how serious the situation has become. Official education data from Armenia shows a decline in the number of Ezidi girls attending school in recent years. Many girls leave education after the ninth grade, and only a very small number continue to university. This means that many Ezidi girls are being separated from higher education, professional opportunities and public participation.
The consequences are long-term. A girl who leaves school too early loses more than a classroom. She may lose the chance to become financially independent, to choose a profession, to speak publicly, to defend her rights and to shape her own future. Early marriage can also bring serious health, emotional and social consequences, especially when girls become mothers before they are fully prepared for adult responsibilities.
The state has a responsibility to act. Raising the legal marriage age and strengthening protections for girls are important steps, but laws alone are not enough. Schools, families, local authorities and Ezidi representatives must work together to make sure girls remain in education. Support must be practical: follow-up when girls disappear from school, dialogue with families, safe reporting channels, scholarships, mentoring and stronger encouragement for girls to continue beyond compulsory education.
At the same time, change must also come from within Ezidi society. Families need to understand that education does not erase identity. It strengthens it. A girl who studies does not become less Ezidi. She becomes better equipped to protect her people, her language, her history and her future.
The small number of Ezidi women currently studying at university should not be seen as an exception. They should be seen as proof of what is possible. Each of them represents a different future: one where Ezidi girls are not forced to choose between education and belonging, between knowledge and tradition, or between their dreams and family expectations.
The future of the Ezidi people cannot be built by silencing girls. It must be built by allowing them to learn, speak, lead and participate fully in society. Early marriage should not decide the life of a child. Education should.
