WUNRN
INDIA - CHILD MARRIAGE ISSUES
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The Times of India
INDIA - CHILD MARRIAGE STILL EXISTS
BUT MORE GIRLS
RESISTING EARLY MARRIAGE
& CHOOSE CONTINUED EDUCATION
Binay Singh
VARANASI: Teleserial 'Balika Badhu' may appear to be a replay of an era long
gone by, but it is not so. There are areas and communities that still go for
much earlier weddings of their children than allowed by the law. However, there
is also no denying the fact that children, especially girls, have started
resisting child marriage and-- what is more-- are getting support of their
parents in opting for studies than matrimony.
"My parents wanted to get me married four years ago when I was just 13.
But, I protested and convinced them that I wanted to pursue my studies. This is
Vimla, a 17-year-old girl from a low caste Musahar community where child
marriage is a normal affair, mostly due to acute poverty.
Presently, Vimla is a Class XII student and studying in a girls' inter college
in Kuwar area. "I want to become a teacher so that I can help my community
and dispel the darkness of ignorance," said the girl, whose siblings,
including younger sister, were married off in an early age. Her parents--
Motilal Banvasi and Shanti Devi, natives of Kuwar village-- are landless
labourers, and they wanted to marry off their minor daughter due to acute
poverty.
Similar is the case of Jyoti (16), a native of Hukulganj, who wants to become
self-reliant before her marriage. Her father left the family and settled in
Mumbai. Her mother Lalmani Devi wanted to marry her daughter three years ago.
Currently, Jyoti is studying in Class X. Another girl, Puja (16), a resident of
Baghwanala slum, also refused her marriage proposal a year ago and continued
with her studies. "My family members wanted to stop my schooling and marry
me after Class IX because one the girls of the locality eloped with some boy
and they were apprehensive I may do the same. It was ridiculous, and I strongly
protested," she said and added finally her father Shiv Kumar Thathera was
convinced and came to her aid. "Presently, Puja is studying in Class X and
we would marry her according to her wish," said her father.
Two other girls, Chanda (15), a native of Baghwanala slum, and Madhuri (17), a
native of Kuwar village, also opposed their early marriage and are continuing
with their studies. All these girls belong to the lowest strata of society and
live in penury. But, they showed courage to go against the tide and set an
example for others. Seeing their determination, a human rights organisation--
Peoples Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR)-- is going to honour them
at a function on Sunday. "These girls have shown courage to denounce the
practice of child marriage, which is not only a social evil but also violation
of human rights," said Shruti Nagvanshi of PVCHR.
These girls have set an example as even the Law Commission of India in its
report (2008) for proposal to amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
and other allied laws, admits that child marriages continue to be a fairly
widespread social evil in India. In a study carried out between 1998 to 1999 on
girls of 15-19 years of age, it was found that 33.8 per cent were currently
married or in a union. Referring to the National Family Health Survey of
2005-2006 (NFHS-3), carried out in 29 states, the report says 45 per cent of
women-- currently between 20-24 years-- were married before the age of 18. The
percentage was much higher in rural areas (58.5%) than in urban areas (27.9%)
and exceeded 50 per cent in eight states. The percentage of women between aged
20-24, married by the time they were 18, stood at 61.2 per cent in Jharkhand
followed by 60.3 per cent in Bihar, 57.1 per cent in Rajasthan, 54.7 per cent
in Andhra Pradesh and 53 per cent in MP, UP and West Bengal.
The NFHS-3 findings further revealed that 16 per cent of women, aged 15-19,
were already mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey. It was also found
that more than half of Indian women were married before the legal minimum age
of 18, compared to 16 per cent of men aged 20-49 who were married by the age of
18. Though, NFHS-3 did not compile any data on girls who were married below the
age of 15, the 2001 Census had revealed that 3,00,000 girls under 15 had given
birth to at least one child.
Early marriage is often linked to low levels of schooling for girls. NFHS-3
figures show that 71.6 per cent of Indian women, currently aged 20-24 years,
who had been married before the age of 18 years, did not have any education at
all. Furthermore, by not going to school, young brides were denied the opportunity
to make friendships with peers or acquire critical life skills. Child marriage
below a certain age is blatant child abuse. The Indian Penal Code considers any
sexual intercourse with a minor wife below 15 years of age rape.
What keeps demon of child marriage alive
Varanasi: The phenomenon of child marriage can be attributed to a variety of
reasons. The chief among them being poverty and culture, tradition and
value-based on patriarchal norms.
According to the report of the Law Commission of India, the marriage of a minor
girl often takes place because of poverty and indebtedness of her family. Dowry
becomes an additional reason, which weighs even more heavily on poorer
families. The general demand for younger brides also creates an incentive for
these families to marry the girl child as early as possible to avoid high dowry
payments for older girls.
The girl in patriarchal set-up is believed to be a burden. These beliefs lead
parents to marry the girl child. Unfortunately, the patriarchal mindset is so
strong that the girl has no say in decision making. Texts like Manu Smirti
which state that the father or the brother, who has not married his daughter or
the sister who has attained puberty, will go to hell, are sometimes quoted to
justify child marriage. Child marriages are also an easy way out for parents
who want their daughters to obey and accept their choice of a husband for them.
There is also a belief that child marriage is a protection for the girls
against unwanted masculine attention or promiscuity. In a society, which puts a
high premium on the patriarchal values of virginity and chastity of girls,
girls are married off as soon as possible.
The report says the child marriage is a grave violation of the rights of the
child, depriving her of opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy
manner to obtain education and to lead a life of freedom and dignity. It
deprives the young girl of capabilities, opportunities and decision-making
powers and stands in the way of her social and personal development. Young
brides face the risk of sexual and reproductive ill health because of their
exposure to early sexual activity and pregnancy. Complications and mortality
are common during childbirth for young pregnant girls. Girls who come from poor
backgrounds, and who are often married at an early age, have little or no
access to health care services. Risks associated with young pregnancy and
childbearing include an increased risk of premature labour, complications
during delivery, low birth-weight and a higher chance that the newborn will not
survive.
The report further says young mothers, under age 15, are five times more likely
to die than women in their 20s due to complications. Maternal mortality among
adolescent girls is estimated to be two to five times higher than adult women.
Maternal mortality among girls aged 15-19 years is about three times higher.
Young women also suffer from a high risk of maternal morbidity. Research
indicates that the babies of mothers below the age of 18 tend to have higher
rates of child morbidity and mortality. Infants of mothers younger than 18
years have a 60 per cent greater chance of dying in the first year of life than
those of mothers aged 19 years or older.
According to the report, young brides also run the risk of catching diseases
from their respective spouses, as older husbands often engage in sexual
relations with other women outside the marriage. Young married girls do not
have bargaining power in the marriage and therefore cannot negotiate safe sex
and are deemed vulnerable. It has also been found that young girls are
physiologically more prone to contracting HIV/AIDS, as their vagina is not well
lined with protective cells and the cervix may be more easily eroded. An
analysis of the HIV epidemic shows that the prevalence of HIV infection is
highest in girls between 15-24 and peaks in men between five to ten years
later.
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