2,065 Child Marriages Prevented in 2012-13

No wonder why Andhra Pradesh continues to hold the dubious distinction of being the No. 1 State in south India for maximum number of child marriages. According to a latest report from AP State Women Development and Child Welfare Department (WDCWD), over 2,065 child marriages were prevented in AP in 2012-2013 (till October). And, this is not even 8 per cent of the overall marriages taking place in the State which is approximately 30,000 every year as per the survey of UNICEF, UNFPA and other local NGOs.

“Most of the child marriages in the State go unreported due to inactive functioning of the concerned departments. While those reported and prevented are by the initiation of NGOs that work against this scourge,” said MS Chandra of CARPED, a NGO that extensively works against the underage marriages. Further, more than 30 per cent of the prevented marriages go unsuccessful due to lack of proper follow up as the family gets the marriage conducted again in some other district, he added.

As per the WDCWD report, the maximum numbers of underage marriages are taking place in Mahabubnagar, Srikakulam and Medak and the average age of the girl child is around 15 years. The NGOs attribute the increase in the child marriages in the State to the inactive enforcement machinery of the departments concerned.

“When we approach the concerned MRO for prevention of a reported child marriage, they (Revenue Department) say the issue is looked after by WDCWD. While these departments complain of non-cooperation of the local police,” said MS Chandra. As per the Prevention of Child Marriage Act, 2006, it is the responsibility of the local MRO and Department of Women and Child Welfare to prevent such marriages. Most of the child marriages are prevented at the last moment, when the families of the bride and groom make all the arrangements and all the guests are invited. Sometimes, the NGO workers involved in the prevention act are also attacked by the families of the bride-groom.

When The Hans India contacted Chiranjeevi Choudhary, Commissioner, WDCWD, he admitted that the effort aimed at prevention of child marriages was not as successful as desired. However, he said that they were taking up a different approach to deal with the problem that led to increased child and mother mortality rate in the State. “We are forming committees involving local self help groups, panchayats, gram sabhas for informing about the possible marriages in their region. In this regard we have also conducted training to certain groups in five districts including Hyderabad, Warangal and other districts. Soon, other districts will also be covered. Further, we are also planning for large awareness campaign against child marriages locally,” he said.

“Until a girl is 20 or 21, her body is not ready to bear a child,” Dr. Himabindu Singh, Professor for Paediatric, Department of Neonatology, Niloufer Hospital speaking to The Hans India. The physical and nutritional demands of pregnancy on still-maturing and inadequately nourished bodies can endanger adolescents’ health. UNICEF states that 66.6 per cent of the married girls aged between 15 and 19 were more likely to experience delivery complications compared to 57 per cent of women between 20 and 24 years.