Jargon Free Forum

Child Marriage

Child marriage has been a prevalent practice at different points in the history of almost all societies around the globe. In India, the practice has origins going back to ancient times and it continues to persist today.

Child marriage is most common in the world’s poorest countries. The highest prevalence rates of women getting married in the age of 20-49 years reporting entering marriage before 18 years are in South Asia (56%), followed by West and Central Africa (46%), Eastern and Southern Africa (38%), Latin America and the Caribbean (30%).

According to a UNICEF report (2014), one in three of all child marriages globally take place in India and rates are highest among the poorest and most socially disadvantaged areas. Child marriage has been declining slowly over the years, but the numbers of girls and boys getting married before their respective legal ages remain large. In the 2011 Census, 12 million child marriages were reported for girls aged less than 18 and boys below 21 years. High variance has been noted across regions, states, and urban and rural areas in the prevalence of child marriage within India.

Pre-session assessment        

There were a total of 40 participants, children in the 11th standard. The following points were discussed with the children in the pre-session assessment:

The question to all students:

What is child marriage? Students replied that it's when a person marries before a specific age defined by laws. Why does child marriage happen? Most of the students replied that child marriage happens because of poverty, low financial stability, and lack of awareness. Most of the students said that child marriage happens usually in rural areas and where illiteracy is high. How old are the children involved in child marriages? Some students replied that child marriage is considered when the girl's age is below 18 and the boy's age is below 21, whereas some students didn't answer this question. Are boys also married in childhood? Students replied in one voice that yes, boys are married off while still being children. What are the consequences of child marriage? Students replied that both girl and boy children have to take responsibility for the house at a very early age, drop out of schools, and have adolescent pregnancies, etc. Is child marriage legal? Most of the students replied with one voice that child marriage is illegal. How can the world end child marriage? Students replied that with awareness and education, the world can end child marriages.

Activity conducted during the session

Documentary Screening: The session included the screening of four documentaries on the subject of child marriage:

Child Marriage: A third animated short film from the series "Shattering the Silence," titled "Child Marriage" was shown to the students. The film is seen through the eyes of a young girl named Mina, who is forced to drop out of school and get married at a young age. The film highlights the physical and mental toll that child marriage can have on a child bride and the limited opportunities that come with a lack of proper education. Through determination and awareness, Mina is able to turn her life around when she seeks help from Panah, a shelter that not only provides a safe place for her and her daughter, but also offers vocational training. (Video Link: https://youtu.be/mLxnxy_MjnY) Like Sisters: The death of her best friend due to miscarriages and abortions caused by child marriage prompts a strong transformation in Priya. She channels her sorrow into empowering young girls to make the right decisions at the right age. (Video Link: https://youtu.be/6Zb0tU2e63E) Early Child Marriage: Child marriage is still a common phenomenon in India and is one of the main causes of poor health among girls. The lack of preparation, both mentally and physically, leads to dysfunctional families. The documentary warns against the consequences of child marriage and emphasizes the importance of education for girls. (Video Link: https://youtu.be/WrmRqm6VBI0) Choti Si Dulhan: This episode of the popular animated series Meena focuses on the issue of early marriage. It teaches that the legal age of marriage for women is 18 and emphasizes the importance of education for girls. Child marriage can have adverse effects on a girl's physical and mental health, and many child brides die from pregnancy-related complications. (Video Link: https://youtu.be/mFc-32rcZkE)

Post-session assessment                                              

The number of participants in the session was 40 11th-grade children. The following points were discussed with the children during the pre-session assessment:

The question to all students: 

What is child marriage? The students replied that child marriage is when a person marries before a specific age defined by laws. Why does child marriage happen? Most of the students replied that child marriage happens because of poverty, low financial stability, and lack of awareness. Most of the students said that child marriage usually happens in rural areas and where illiteracy is high. How old are the children involved in child marriages? Some students replied that child marriage is considered when the girl's age is below 18 and the boy's age is below 21, whereas some students didn't answer this question. Are boys also married in childhood? The students replied in unison that yes, boys are married off while still being children. What are the consequences of child marriage? The students replied that both girls and boys have to take responsibility for the house at a very early age, drop out of school, and may have adolescent pregnancies, among other consequences. Is child marriage legal? Most of the students replied in unison that child marriage is illegal. How can the world end child marriage? The students replied that with awareness and education, the world can end child marriages.

Regarding the movies discussed during the session:

If the girl's mother in the first movie didn't take any action, the students replied that the girl would have continued to face domestic violence and could have been married at an early age.The positive changes that came out of leaving home for the girl in the child marriage movie were that she and her mother became independent, and her father could no longer harass them. When asked what other steps Maya could have taken, the students replied that she could have refused to get married at such an early age. When asked if Maya was wrong to agree to the marriage, some students said yes, while others said she wasn't because she had no awareness of the consequences of getting married at an early age. When asked if getting married to a loved one at an early age is good, the students replied that getting married to someone at an early age, either by choice or not, is not a good option. When asked why Tulli's decisions became wrong, the students replied that Tulli thought that she had no other option, so she left her home with her boyfriend and got married to him, but the pressure of fulfilling the responsibility as a woman didn't let her complete her dreams, and her husband didn't help her because of the responsibility of the family. When asked if Tulli's husband was a bad person, the students replied that he wasn't a bad person as he became rude with Tulli because he was not able to support the financial expense of the family.

When asked what was the reason for the positive end in the movie Choti Si Dulhan, the students replied that the girl and boy were educated and aware of the importance of education, so they mutually decided not to get married at such an early age and finish their studies first.