Child marriage, defined as a union where the boy is under 21 years of age and the girl is under 18, continues to persist in India despite regulations like The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006. Shockingly, according to UNICEF reports, 27% of girls in India are married before the age of 18, and 7% even before they reach 15.It is estimated that 650 million women worldwide have been married in childhood itself. Of these, half the number is shared among five countries – India, Brazil, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Nigeria. Child marriage is a grave issue that persists in many parts of the world, violating the rights of millions of girls and boys. It robs children of their childhood, education, and future prospects.
My Experience
While working at BOSCO Child-line, Bangalore, we encountered numerous instances of child marriage. Sometimes, we received urgent calls reporting an impending child marriage. On one occasion, at 9:00 AM, we received a call informing us about a 14-year-old girl’s imminent marriage scheduled for 10:30 AM. Acting swiftly despite the heavy traffic in Bangalore, we reached the wedding venue. To our dismay, we found the young couple already seated for the ceremony. With the assistance of the police, we intervened, halted the marriage, and rescued the girl. We promptly took her to CWC, Bangalore. Despite facing threats from the family members for our intervention, we remained undeterred. We persist in responding to the pleas of children trapped in such forced marriages.
In this essay I will explore the reasons behind child marriage, its consequences, and the urgent need for concerted efforts to eradicate this harmful practice.
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC
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