INDIA: South Asia has the largest number of child brides worldwide as a result of mounting financial strains and school closures brought on by COVID-19, which compelled families to wed off their young daughters, as per a recent estimate released by UNICEF on Wednesday.
There were about 290 million child brides in the region, making up 45% of the total worldwide, the United Nations agency for children said, urging greater measures to put an end to the practise.
UNICEF’s regional director for South Asia, Noala Skinner, said in a statement that “the fact that South Asia has the highest child marriage burden in the world is nothing short of tragic.”
“Child marriage locks girls out of learning, puts their health and wellbeing at risk, and compromises their future.” “Every girl who gets married as a child is one girl too many,” he added.
In a recent agency study, which also included interviews and discussions in 16 locations in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, it was discovered that many parents believed marriage to be the best choice for daughters who had limited options for continuing their education during COVID lockdowns.
“By ending child marriage, we can help girls make informed decisions and become independent,” says Safalta from Nepal. She is among the numerous young people who have joined authorities and academics this week in calling for increased efforts to eliminate child marriage across South Asia.
The legal age of girl marriage in Nepal is 20, 18 in Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh, and 16 in Afghanistan. The minimum age in Pakistan for marriage is 16, except in Sindh province, where the age is 18.
The U.N. study also revealed that families during the pandemic were compelled to marry their daughters young in order to reduce expenses at home.
The agency reported that potential solutions brought up in discussions include establishing social protection measures to combat poverty, safeguarding every child’s access to education, making sure there is a sufficient framework in place to enforce the legislation, and stepping up efforts to address social norms.
Björn Andersson, Asia-Pacific regional director of the United Nations Population Fund, said, “We must do more and strengthen partnerships to empower girls through education, including comprehensive sexuality education, and equip them with skills, while supporting communities to come together to end this deeply rooted practise.”
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