According to a study done in more than 40 communities, three out of every five child marriages result in teen pregnancies, which has a negative effect on the girl child’s sexual and reproductive health.
- According to a poll by the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Child Rights And You, three out of every five child brides experienced teenage pregnancy, which had a negative effect on their sexual and reproductive health.
- The survey was carried out as a component of a broader study that involved 40 villages from four districts in four different states: Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, Chandouli in Uttar Pradesh, Parbhani in Maharashtra, and Kandhamal in Odisha.
Highlights
- Uttar Pradesh has the lowest mean age at marriage for girls who marry as children (16.3 years), followed by Odisha (16.5 years), Andhra Pradesh (16.6 years), and Maharashtra (17).
- The country’s average age is 16.5 years.
- Only 16% of parents and in-laws, as well as 34% of child brides or grooms, are aware of the drawbacks of child marriage.
- It is believed that child marriage occurs six times more frequently among girls than it does among boys.
- Among the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, Bangladesh has the greatest incidence rate of child marriage among those aged 20 to 24; it is followed by Nepal, Afghanistan, and India.
Steps taken for Child Safety in India
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) was passed in 2006.
- The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012 (POCSO) was passed to safeguard children against sexual assault and harassment offences.
- Unlike the Indian Penal Code, POCSO does not take marriage into account while determining exclusions (IPC).
- It is illegal to have sexual relations with anyone under the age of 18, even if they occur in a shared home or through marriage.
Obstacles in eliminating Child Marriage
- There is a big disparity in the community’s awareness level regarding government protection systems and instruments in existence and institutional procedures, which causes girls in particular to drop out of school and puts them at risk of child marriage.
- Underreporting: To stop the practise of child marriage, community people must actively oppose instances of child marriage in their neighbourhood and report such cases to the appropriate government officials.
- Family and peer pressure have a crucial role in the continued practise of underage marriage.
- Perceived concepts of women’s honour: One of the main factors was the fear of females eloping, having a “love affair,” or engaging in premarital sex.
- The practise continues in part because people don’t comprehend the detrimental effects of child marriage, and since child marriage-related legal restrictions are rarely used.
Recommendations
Promote greater awareness of the effects of child marriage through awareness campaigns.
- Public awareness campaigns, at the school and community levels, to increase knowledge of governmental programmes and other systemic response mechanisms.
Increasing females’ access to secondary education is important for reducing school dropout rates and, as a result, decreasing child marriage.
- In addition, the National Education Policy (NEP) – 2020’s implementation of associated measures needs to be stepped up.
Self-Help Groups (SHGs) can function as change agents by informing women in SHGs about legal obligations and suggested responses in the event of a child marriage. This is how child marriage can be prevented.
- Start long-term initiatives to eradicate social injustice and poverty in order to significantly lower child marriage rates.
In order to broaden the child protection field, Village Child Protection Committees (VCPCs) were created particularly to do so. They should provide kids a voice and ensure they have decision-making authority.
- Give children from disadvantaged families the resources they need to access online learning:
- Using IEC materials that are kid-friendly and age-appropriate, teach kids about the systemic response mechanisms (system specific and governance) that are in place.
Establishing Central Regulations for Child Marriage The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006 calls for different State Rules, but establishing centrally agreed-upon minimum standards will assist ensure systemic parity and promote more seamless execution of the law.
Source—https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/governance/teenage-pregnancies-in-every-3-of-5-child-brides-finds-cry-85997