Shocking survey finds the custom is followed by 21.3 per cent of the sample size interviewed in mega cities like Mumbai; generally among migrant population from north India
Shocking survey finds the custom is followed by 21.3 per cent of the sample size interviewed in mega cities like Mumbai; generally among migrant population from north India
It's hard to believe, but child marriages do occur in mega cities like Mumbai, according to an article published in the UK-based Lancet medical journal this week. Even though western India recorded the lowest numbers in a pan-India survey about child marriage and related health problems, it was observed that nearly a fifth of the sample surveyed in mega cities practised this archaic tradition.
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EARLY START: A still from Balika Vadhu, the TV serial that deals with child marriage. REPRESENT-ATION PIC |
"In Mumbai, the prevalence wasn't as rampant as one sees in north and central India because of increased awareness and education. But child marriage is still rampant in urban slum areas with high migrant populations," said the study's co-author, Dr Balaiah Donta, HOD of Biostatistics at the National Institute Research in Reproductive Health in Parel.
Donta added that since migrant populations usually come to the city from the northern parts of the country, their traditions remain as they were in the place of origin. "Moreover, it is a problem in slum areas because of poverty where female children are married off quicker to relieve the parents of the burden of taking care of the child," said Donta.
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The study titled 'Prevalence of child marriage and its effect on fertility and fertility-control outcomes of young women in India: a cross-sectional, observational study' showed that a whopping 44.5 per cent of the women surveyed were married before 15, 22.6 per cent were married before 16 and 2.6 married before 13. Over 22,000 women between the age groups of 20-24 were interviewed for the survey.
Child marriage leads to innumerable health problems in brides, including the increase in unwanted and terminated pregnancies, early sterilisations, miscarriages, stillbirths, high infant mortality and damaging mental stress.
The numbers are telling of how widespread the phenomenon is. Even in mega cities, 21.3 per cent of the sample interviewed, or a fifth of the population witnessed child marriage. "The problem is also one of safety. My old maid wanted to get her daughter married at 16 because there's a sense of security attached with marriage in a patriarchal society. It's a pity we can't keep our girls safe in some other way," said Dr A L Sharada, programme director, Population First, which deals with the welfare of the girl child.
