STOP CHILD MARRIAGE.
CHILD MARRIAGE IS A CRIME
In India, Marriage is considered as one of the most important social institutions through which society perpetuates as it is a means of establishing family relations. This social institution is expressed in many forms of rituals and ceremonies. In India, around 45 percent of the girls are wedded below 18 years of age. Niger is placed on top in the world for child marriages under 18 years of age (74.5%), followed by Chad, Mali, Bangladesh, Guinea and Central African Republic. Majority girls who are married before 18 years of age are from poor families. Most of the girls use to face problems like domestic violence, pregnancy problems and death cases. Girls who are younger than 15 years are more prone to die in childbirth than a woman who is in her 20s. The age group under 18 year has a high fertility. Child brides often show signs and symptoms of sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress such as feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and severe depression.
Child marriage is considered as one of the burning and hot issues of Indian society. It refers to a social phenomenon practised in some societies in India, where a young girl (below the age of fifteen) is married to an adult man. One another form of practice of child marriage is that in which the parents of the would be bride and groom arrange a future marriage. In this kind of marriage both, the girl and the boy do not meet each other until they reach the marriageable age. Child marriage constitutes a gross violation of human rights, leaving physical, psychological and emotional scars for life. Usually sexual activities starts soon after marriage, and pregnancy and childbirth at an early age can lead to maternal as well as infant mortality. Moreover, girls and women who marry at a younger age are more likely to experience domestic violence within their matrimonial home.
There are many factors which are considered to be the reasons for the prevalence of child marriages. Some of them are Gender inequality, social norms, perceived low status of girls, poverty, lack of education, safety concerns about girl children and control over sexuality. Several states of India have introduced incentives to delay marriages. For example, the state of Haryana introduced the program named as “Apni Beti, Apna Dhan” in the year 1994, which states “My Daughter, My Wealth”.As per Indian laws, the marriageable age is 21 years for males and 18 years for females.
In India, Marriage is considered as one of the most important social institutions through which society perpetuates as it is a means of establishing family relations. This social institution is expressed in many forms of rituals and ceremonies. In India, around 45 percent of the girls are wedded below 18 years of age. Niger is placed on top in the world for child marriages under 18 years of age (74.5%), followed by Chad, Mali, Bangladesh, Guinea and Central African Republic. Majority girls who are married before 18 years of age are from poor families. Most of the girls use to face problems like domestic violence, pregnancy problems and death cases. Girls who are younger than 15 years are more prone to die in childbirth than a woman who is in her 20s. The age group under 18 year has a high fertility. Child brides often show signs and symptoms of sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress such as feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and severe depression.
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Child marriage is considered as one of the burning and hot issues of Indian society. It refers to a social phenomenon practised in some societies in India, where a young girl (below the age of fifteen) is married to an adult man. One another form of practice of child marriage is that in which the parents of the would be bride and groom arrange a future marriage. In this kind of marriage both, the girl and the boy do not meet each other until they reach the marriageable age. Child marriage constitutes a gross violation of human rights, leaving physical, psychological and emotional scars for life. Usually sexual activities starts soon after marriage, and pregnancy and childbirth at an early age can lead to maternal as well as infant mortality. Moreover, girls and women who marry at a younger age are more likely to experience domestic violence within their matrimonial home.
Facts and figures about Child Marriages in India
In India, It is estimated that there are over 24 million child brides. According to the National Family Health Survey, 40% of the World’s 60 million child marriages take place in India. According to the International Center for Research on Women, India has the 14 highest rates of child marriages in the world.
Indian marriage system varies by region, caste and tribe. Child marriage rates are lower in South-East India and higher in the North-West region of the country. Bihar, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are the states with the highest rates of child marriage. As per District-Level Household and Facility Survey (DLHS), which was recently conducted for Health Ministry, Bihar was reported as worst state for child marriages where nearly 70% of women are married in their early twenties having been married by the age of 18 years; the best state is considered as Himachal Pradesh with marriage rate of 9%. Over the past 15 years, Child marriage has declined by just 11% – less than one percent per year. The Annual Healthy Survey carried out in 2011, shows a more rapid decline in nine surveyed states.
Indian marriage system varies by region, caste and tribe. Child marriage rates are lower in South-East India and higher in the North-West region of the country. Bihar, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are the states with the highest rates of child marriage. As per District-Level Household and Facility Survey (DLHS), which was recently conducted for Health Ministry, Bihar was reported as worst state for child marriages where nearly 70% of women are married in their early twenties having been married by the age of 18 years; the best state is considered as Himachal Pradesh with marriage rate of 9%. Over the past 15 years, Child marriage has declined by just 11% – less than one percent per year. The Annual Healthy Survey carried out in 2011, shows a more rapid decline in nine surveyed states.
Who are more prone?
The girls who have low levels of education, limited or absent peer networks, restricted mobility and less access to mass media such as T.V., radio and newspapers as compared to boys are more prone to child marriages.The problems include soaring birth rates, grinding poverty and malnutrition, high illiteracy and infant mortality, and low life expectancy, especially among rural women. High fertility rate is attributed to an early marriage i.e., the earlier a time a woman marries, the more likely she is to give birth to a larger number of children, consequently placing a high demand on her health.
On the other hand, as soon as the marriage happens, young brides are forced to prove their fertility after marriage and to give birth to children, especially sons. A young girl with minimal or no education, raised to be submissive and subservient, married to an older man, has little ability to negotiate sexual activity.
The girls who have low levels of education, limited or absent peer networks, restricted mobility and less access to mass media such as T.V., radio and newspapers as compared to boys are more prone to child marriages.The problems include soaring birth rates, grinding poverty and malnutrition, high illiteracy and infant mortality, and low life expectancy, especially among rural women. High fertility rate is attributed to an early marriage i.e., the earlier a time a woman marries, the more likely she is to give birth to a larger number of children, consequently placing a high demand on her health.
Effects of Child Marriage
Early Pregnancy-Health complications
Child marriages usually lead to an early pregnancy which results in many health complications. Without having the proper knowledge about the sexual activities and bodily changes which occur during puberty she cannot cope with changes in her during pregnancy. Today even elderly women too are not in the position to guide her properly. In the olden days elderly women used to monitor the situation perfectly during pregnancy, during delivery and during post-delivery. But nowadays elderly women neither have knowledge as did women in olden days nor have the positive attitude to approach proper medical people.
Fall in High Fertility Age Group
Child marriages usually lead to an early pregnancy which results in many health complications. Without having the proper knowledge about the sexual activities and bodily changes which occur during puberty she cannot cope with changes in her during pregnancy. Today even elderly women too are not in the position to guide her properly. In the olden days elderly women used to monitor the situation perfectly during pregnancy, during delivery and during post-delivery. But nowadays elderly women neither have knowledge as did women in olden days nor have the positive attitude to approach proper medical people.
Fall in High Fertility Age Group
When a girl is married at an early age, she normally tends to have more children and unwanted pregnancy. Lack of access to modern medical facilities to avoid or postpone pregnancy, women are forced to have pregnancy and carry the child.
When a girl is married at an early age, she normally tends to have more children and unwanted pregnancy. Lack of access to modern medical facilities to avoid or postpone pregnancy, women are forced to have pregnancy and carry the child.
Inabilities to Plan or Manage Families
Young girls exercise less influence and control over their children and have less ability to make decisions about their nutrition, health care and household management.
Young girls exercise less influence and control over their children and have less ability to make decisions about their nutrition, health care and household management.
Effect on sexual health of young girls
Young girls use to face considerable physical pain associated with sexual intercourse as a result of the physiological immaturity of their sexual organs. Complications due to pregnancy at a young age frequently include perforation of the bladder or bowel, due to prolonged labor and HIV AIDS etc.
Young girls use to face considerable physical pain associated with sexual intercourse as a result of the physiological immaturity of their sexual organs. Complications due to pregnancy at a young age frequently include perforation of the bladder or bowel, due to prolonged labor and HIV AIDS etc.
Government’s Initiatives
The Government of India took major steps to eradicate the evil of child marriage in the Indian societies. The Child Marriage Restraint Act was passed in 1929. Its objective is to eliminate this evil of child marriage which had the potentialities of dangers to the life and health of a female child, who could not cope the stress and the strains of a married life and to avoid the early deaths of such minor mothers. It defines such terms:
- “Child” means a person who, if a male, is under twenty one years of age, and if a female, is under eighteen years of age.
- “Child Marriage” means a marriage to which either the contracting parties is a child.
- “Contracting party” to a marriage means either of the parties whose marriage is or is about to be thereby solemnized.
- “Minor” means a person of either sex who is under eighteen years of age.
Whoever performs conducts or directs any child marriage shall be punished with simple imprisonment which may extend to three months and shall also be liable to fine, unless he proves that he has reasons to believe that the marriage was not a child marriage.
The Government of India took major steps to eradicate the evil of child marriage in the Indian societies. The Child Marriage Restraint Act was passed in 1929. Its objective is to eliminate this evil of child marriage which had the potentialities of dangers to the life and health of a female child, who could not cope the stress and the strains of a married life and to avoid the early deaths of such minor mothers. It defines such terms:
- “Child” means a person who, if a male, is under twenty one years of age, and if a female, is under eighteen years of age.
- “Child Marriage” means a marriage to which either the contracting parties is a child.
- “Contracting party” to a marriage means either of the parties whose marriage is or is about to be thereby solemnized.
- “Minor” means a person of either sex who is under eighteen years of age.
Whoever performs conducts or directs any child marriage shall be punished with simple imprisonment which may extend to three months and shall also be liable to fine, unless he proves that he has reasons to believe that the marriage was not a child marriage.
Suggestions
There are certain suggestions which can be adopted in order to lessen child marriages:
- Develop strong support systems to keep girls in school. Provide scholarships where necessary and encourage teachers to support girls.
- Strengthen and establish community networks and partnerships involving girls clubs, teachers, elders, local government officials, women and youth groups, community and religious leaders, etc. that jointly work towards ending early marriage.
- Strengthen the role of the judicial system particularly the police, judges, and persecutors through training on enforcement of the law against early marriage.
- Efforts should be made to give-up the factors motivating child marriages, all efforts should aim at changing the gender biased attitudes of parents and society by imparting proper education on one hand and eradicating poverty on the other.
There are certain suggestions which can be adopted in order to lessen child marriages:
- Develop strong support systems to keep girls in school. Provide scholarships where necessary and encourage teachers to support girls.
- Strengthen and establish community networks and partnerships involving girls clubs, teachers, elders, local government officials, women and youth groups, community and religious leaders, etc. that jointly work towards ending early marriage.
- Strengthen the role of the judicial system particularly the police, judges, and persecutors through training on enforcement of the law against early marriage.
- Efforts should be made to give-up the factors motivating child marriages, all efforts should aim at changing the gender biased attitudes of parents and society by imparting proper education on one hand and eradicating poverty on the other.
ConclusionChild Marriages are considered as one of the social menace that cannot be curbed easily without the support of the society. There have been demands to make child marriages void ab initio under the Prohibition of Child Marriages Act since a long time, but Indian society is complicated and complex and making child marriages void will only jeopardize the rights of women who are the victims of child marriage. Many a times the parents of the girl child forcibly marries their daughters to some elder man so that that person can give some money to the girl’s family and from that money their financial condition can turn better.
Also from the above discussion, it can be concluded that in early marriages, the girl child’s reproductive and sexual health is affected the most. The child brides suffer from high rates of obstetric complications, pregnancy induced hypertension, higher mortality rates, premature delivery, high incidence of miscarriages and stillbirths. The risks of early marriage are not just limited to the girl child alone, but also to the child that is born out of that marriage as a result of an early pregnancy. The infant mortality rates are also high along with incidences of premature delivery and low birth weight of the newborn child.There is tremendous pressure on young wives to bear a child. Early sexual activities also expose adolescents to a greater risk of contracting Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) including HIV AIDS. Early marriage and pregnancy is one of the major cases of maternal mortality in India.Mere legislation will not serve the purpose unless there is support and backing from the society. Uniform Civil Code would also help in preventing child marriages to some extent.
Also from the above discussion, it can be concluded that in early marriages, the girl child’s reproductive and sexual health is affected the most. The child brides suffer from high rates of obstetric complications, pregnancy induced hypertension, higher mortality rates, premature delivery, high incidence of miscarriages and stillbirths. The risks of early marriage are not just limited to the girl child alone, but also to the child that is born out of that marriage as a result of an early pregnancy. The infant mortality rates are also high along with incidences of premature delivery and low birth weight of the newborn child.There is tremendous pressure on young wives to bear a child. Early sexual activities also expose adolescents to a greater risk of contracting Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) including HIV AIDS. Early marriage and pregnancy is one of the major cases of maternal mortality in India.
Mere legislation will not serve the purpose unless there is support and backing from the society. Uniform Civil Code would also help in preventing child marriages to some extent.
