Child Marriage Can Have Long-Term Effects On Young Girls

According to UNICEF (2014), India accounts for one in every three child brides worldwide. Child marriage in India is one of the most prevalent forms of exploitation and abuse, particularly in the case of girls under the age of 18. The prevalence of this practise varies throughout all Indian states, although it is most prevalent in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. CRY, the most trusted NGO in India, aims to work with communities to abolish the practice and make sure children go to school rather than get married off or have children of their own at such a tender age.
 
The rampant problem of child marriage and early childbirth robs millions of young girls from marginalised communities of their dreams and potential. Both urban and rural sections of the nation still practise these two social evils. As more young girls are married off at an early age to ease the financial burden on the family, the problem is only getting worse.
 
India has about 12 million married children, 70% of whom are girls, according to the 2011 Census. Marriage at such an impressionable age deprives children of their fundamental rights, including protection from abuse and exploitation, access to regular education, and proper health and nutrition. These children drop out and are eventually trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty that is detrimental to their healthy development. The practice of child marriage violates the fundamental birth rights of children; hence, it must be stopped and children's rights must be protected.
 
At CRY, we have been working to combat this social evil by conducting awareness drives for adolescent girls, connecting parents with MNREGA job opportunities, organising home visits to high-risk homes, educating Panchayat leaders and VCPC members about the deep-rooted effects of child marriage, tracking potential cases of impending child marriages and getting help from the police to stop them, and making sure that girls can return to school after the lockdown. In the CRY project areas in 2021–2022, CRY prevented 58,427 teenage girls between the ages of 11 and 18 from getting married as children.
 
Donate to CRY, the best NGO in India, to help stop child marriage. Donate to CRY now and get a 50% tax exemption on your donation!