Decline in Child Marriages in India
Child marriage among girls in India has declined by 69%, while for boys it has decreased by 72%, according to a report by ‘Just Rights for Children’, a network of over 250 NGOs working on child protection.
Key Findings
- Assam leads with an 84% decline in child marriages of girls.
- Maharashtra and Bihar both show a 70% decline.
- Rajasthan has a 66% decline.
- Karnataka shows a 55% decline.
Deterrents and Awareness
- Arrests and FIRs are noted as the strongest deterrents against child marriage.
- Coordinated action by the government and civil society organizations is credited with this decline.
- 99% of respondents were aware of the Government of India’s Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign.
- Awareness has reached near-universal levels, with a significant comfort level in reporting child marriage cases.
Education and Challenges
In surveyed villages, all girls aged 6-18 years are attending school in 31% of cases, but disparities exist, notably in Bihar (9%) and Maharashtra (51%).
- Barriers to education include poverty (88%), lack of infrastructure (47%), safety concerns (42%), and lack of transportation (24%).
Reasons for Child Marriage
- Poverty, cited by 91% of respondents.
- Safety of minor girls (44%).
- Traditions and societal norms.
The report is based on data from 757 villages across five states, utilizing Multistage Stratified Random Sampling. Frontline service providers like ASHA workers, school teachers, and others were instrumental in data collection.
Bhuwan Ribhu, Founder of Just Rights for Children, emphasized India's progress towards ending child marriage, highlighting it as a potential fulfillment of a Sustainable Development Goal.