The overall objective of this study was to investigate the changing and hidden aspects of early rnmarriage arrangements among the peasant communities of Fogera Woreda in South Gondar rnAdministrative Zone of Amhara National Regional State. More specifically, the study was aimed rnat exploring the nature of early marriage arrangements, identifoing major reasons for early rnmarriage and its hidden arrangement procedures, exploring the role of community based rnorganizations in promoting the hidden arrangement procedures of early marriage, and rnidentifoing the role of local government institutions in preventing the current hidden rnarrangements of early marriage in the study area. To achieve these objectives both primary and rnsecondary data sources were employed. rnThis study mainly relied on ethnographic data gathered through a combination of qualitative rnresearch methods such as key informant and in-depth personal interviews, focus group rndiscussions, case studies and personal observation. The study participants were early married rngirls and women, parents, grand-parents, council of elders and knowledgeable individuals, rnreligious leaders, local level government institutional leaders, health officers and Woreda rnofficials. Finally, the data gathered through various sources were organized and analyzed rnthematically by using triangulation to increase the reliability and validity of the research rnfindings. rnPertaining to the major findings of the study, the trend of early marriage arrangements among rnthe studied peasant communities has changed from the public wedding feasts to the hidden rnceremonies taking place in the name of social and religious gatherings and other events. rnRegarding the prevalence of the hidden arrangements of early marriage, the extended case rnstudies, key informants as well as focus group discussants revealed that such mechanisms of rnearly marriage arrangements are very common. rnThe study has also identified reasons for early marriage and its hidden arrangement procedures. rnThe major reasons include: (J) economic factors related with parents' socio-economic status; (2) rnsocio-cultural reasons such as parents' fear of their daughters' loss of virginity before marriage rnand related social stigmas, parents' fear of the qomo qar (being unmarriageable) stigma for their rndaughters, parents' desire to have a male guardian for their daughter and their desire to rncontinue and extend their family line; (3) parents' lack of hope in formal education; and (4) rnfemale-headed heads' desire to get male protection and male labor force. The ethnographic data rnfurther revealed that currently early marriage arrangements are taking place in a hidden rnmanner. Early marriage arranging parents and the early marriage facilitators try to disguise it rnthrough social, religious and other events because they are well aware of the illegality of the rnpractice. The local community members also collaborate to hide the early marriage arrangements rnof other parents because they also want to arrange their daughters' marriage in the same way, rnwhich is the best option designed by the members of the local community since the formal laws rnforbid the practice. rnThis study concludes by suggesting the needfor further study on the issue at hand with particular rnemphasis on how to fill the gap between socio-cultural values and economic realities of the rural rnpeasant communities and the laws legislating against the practice in the Amhara National rnRegional State.