End child marriage

The high prevalence of child marriage in Assam is a matter of serious concern and calls for urgent intervention by the government, non-government organizations as well as communities to curb it. Information by the Assam government on the floor of the State Assembly reveals that altogether 3,192 child marriages were solemnised in thirty-three districts of the State over the past five years from 2016-17 till 2020-21. The actual number could be more as incidences of child marriage go unreported in many places. The policy document on the State government's Population & Women Empowerment Policy, 2017 points out that although the incidence of child marriage in the age group between 7 and 10 years is not prominent in Assam, there are high incidences of marriage in the age group between 14 and 16 among girls and between 16 and 20 among boys. It also states that incidences of such underage marriage are most prominent in sar areas, tea belts and some tribal areas. The eligible age for marriage is 21 years for males and 18 years for females. Child marriage contributes to high population growth and if not checked can lead to demographic imbalance. Demographic imbalance from such population growth causes social tension. Findings of the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-20) indicate that the prevalence of some of the districts is quite high. The NFHS-5 data show that percentage of women aged 20-24 years married before age 18 years is 50.8 in Dhubri followed by South Salmara- 44.7, Nagaon-46.2, Morigaon-46, Barpeta- 43.2, Darrang-42.8, Goalpara -41.8 and Bongaigaon-41.5. Comparison of the data with 2015-16 indicates that the percentage of women with 10 or more years of schooling have remained low even though women literacy has increased. In the majority of the districts reporting a high prevalence of child marriage, the percentage of women with more than 10 years of schooling is quite low and ranges from 19.6 % to less than 35 per cent. Districts reporting a higher percentage of women with 10 or more years of schooling, on the other hand, has reported a decline in the percentage of child marriage. Dima Hasao district, for instance, the NFHS-% data show, reported a decline in the percentage of child marriage from 20.2 in 2015-16 to 16.5 in 2019-20 when the percentage of women with 10 or more years of schooling jumped from 28.4 to 42.4 in 2019-20. Ensuring girl chid does not drop out from schools and colleges is the key intervention the government, NGOs and the communities should initiate to end child marriage. Continuation of education not only delays the marriage of girl chid beyond the eligible age of 18 years it also empowers her to make an informed decision on reproductive health, family planning and having fewer children, take a bold stand against gender violence apart from opportunities for better earnings. Government setting up more educational institutions well equipped with girls' toilets with round the clock water supplies is important to prevent dropout. Apart from education, activating Child Protection Committees in every village is important to protect the girl children from early or forced marriage. Official data tabled in the State Assembly show that so far Village Level Child Protection Committees constituted only in 1,831 villages of a total of 26,395 villages. The Social Welfare Department has made the District Child Protection Officer in each district also the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer under the Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006, a central Act. The duty of the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer under the Act is to prevent solemnization of child marriages, collect evidence for the effective prosecution of persons contravening the provisions of this Act, to advise either individual cases or counsel the residents of the locality generally not to indulge in promoting, helping, aiding or allowing the solemnization of child marriages, create awareness of the evil which results from child marriages and to sensitize the community on the issue of child marriages. Constitution of the Child Protection Committee in all villages of the state can help the District Child Marriage Prohibition officers to discharge his or her duties to protect children from early marriage. Convergence of schemes and projects of the departments of education, health and family welfare, social welfare, panchayat and rural development, the welfare of minorities and development and welfare of plain tribes and backward classes for protection and welfare of children and women can facilitate coordinated action to end child marriage. Apart from depriving the girl child of her right to health, early marriage also takes away her right to education and results in a rise in cases of infant mortality and maternal mortality. Deprived of education and social status child brides are also vulnerable to gender-based violence. While poverty is a factor contributing to child marriage, early marriage leads to further impoverishment. Breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and child marriage requires the mandatory ending of child marriage and empowering the girl child.