Lost Childhood: A Whole-of-Society Approach to Addressing School Dropout and Early Marriages
School psychologists, policymakers, and experts from across Kosovo gathered for the second OSCE Mission in Kosovo workshop on reducing school dropout and preventing early marriages.
Organized in co-operation with the Prime Minister’s Office, and following the first workshop held in December 2024, this event aimed to deepen the understanding of how school dropout and early marriages intersect. It served as a platform for discussing strategies to prevent and address these issues, and highlighted the crucial role of school psychologists in identifying early signs and providing guidance to those affected.
These workshops stem from the action plan of the Inter-institutional Working Group for the Prevention and Reporting of Early Marriages in the Kosovo Roma, Kosovo Ashkali, and Kosovo Egyptian communities, set up in late 2023 and including a diverse range of stakeholders. The Mission has directly or indirectly supported action plan activities, such as educational events, awareness raising, and provision of transport of the group members to municipalities.
“Early marriage means lost childhood and dreams interrupted,” said Cornelia Taylor, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, addressing the participants. “For these children, it means leaving school too soon, becoming parents too early, and taking on adult responsibilities before they are ready - physically, emotionally, or mentally. This often leads to early pregnancy, poor health outcomes, domestic violence, and lost potential.”
Marginalized Communities Affected the Most
School dropout and early marriages in Kosovo disproportionately affect non-majority communities, particularly Kosovo Roma, Kosovo Ashkali, and Kosovo Egyptians. According to an OSCE Mission in Kosovo report published in March 2024, early marriage is one of the main reasons for school dropout, alongside factors such as unaffordable or unavailable transportation, safety concerns, financial constraints, health issues, discrimination, and parental decisions.
From the overall school dropouts in Kosovo, 99% belong to marginalized non-majority communities: Kosovo Roma (13%), Kosovo Ashkali (43%), and Kosovo Egyptian (43%). In comparison, only 1% of dropouts come from the Kosovo Albanian community.
Discussing the children most affected by school dropout and early marriages, Elizabeth Gowing, Communities Advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister, emphasized: “School dropout and early marriages are a tragedy no matter where they occur. Regardless of which community a child belongs to, a child is a child, and we are here to protect all children.”
“Over 30% of girls from Kosovo Roma, Kosovo Ashkali, and Kosovo Egyptian communities marry before the age of 18. This means that every second or third day, a girl under 18 is married. This is not just a problem for girls - it also affects boys, who are often under 18 as well,” she added.
Far-Reaching Effects
Besides being a societal problem, early marriages negatively affect the GDP and overall economic growth, as they often lead to lower labour force participation and focus on household responsibilities.
Ardita Ymeri-Azemi, a school psychologist at the Eqrem Qabej School in Vushtrri/Vučitrn, highlighted the multifaceted consequences: “A mother who marries young is not emotionally, psychologically, socially, or financially prepared. If she herself is unprepared, what can she offer her child? Life is becoming more demanding in every aspect - educationally, socially, and economically. Without a strong foundation herself, how can she provide stability for her child? The core thing here is that you are predisposing your child to be neglected and not equal.”
Acknowledging school psychologists play a vital role in preventing school dropout and early marriages, Ymeri-Azemi stressed that they cannot bear the responsibility alone.
“Preventing early marriages is a complex issue that requires the involvement of multiple actors and shared responsibility. It starts with the family and extends to teachers, headteachers, school psychologists, and the school as an institution. If schools with multidisciplinary teams cannot address the issue, then other institutions must step in - such as Centers for Social Welfare and municipal education directorates - exhausting all possible interventions.”
Reflecting on the workshop, Ymeri-Azemi added: “I liked today’s discussion. I wasn’t aware of the statistics, and they are deeply concerning - especially knowing that young girls are the most affected. What I find particularly important are the intervention strategies. It’s reassuring to see that this issue has started to be taken seriously and that a structured approach is emerging, incorporating legal framework, psycho-educational measures, and shared responsibilities. That’s a promising start.”
Co-operation is Key
In their remarks, both Taylor and Gowing echoed these sentiments. “If there’s one word I’ll take away from today’s discussion, it’s ‘partnership.’ Co-operation between teachers, schools, and teams working to prevent school dropout and early marriages is essential. I can see that you are eager to share ideas and support each other, and we are ready to provide these forums for you,” said Gowing.
Taylor highlighted the crucial role that psychologists play in the entire chain of prevention of dropout. “Your role as psychologists in preventing this is so important! Schools with psychologists are better equipped to support children, recognize warning signs, speak with students and parents, and intervene when a girl starts disengaging from school,” she added.
“Psychologists alone are not sufficient in this process, but they are essential. This cannot work without you. That’s why we want to hear from you - and we thank you for the critical work you do in protecting our children,” concluded Gowing.