The menace of child marriage still persists in India despite various initiatives taken by the government. Examine the reasons and its impact. Also, suggest remedial measures.

India remains home to 1/3 of global child bride. That child marriage is practised in India especially in few dense pockets in states of Rajasthan, UP, Bihar.

Reasons of existing child marriage:

• Patriarchal society, feudal mindset.
• Social diktats, which make the image of a daughter as a burden.
• Lack of education, literacy especially in women.
• Cultural practices, e.g. Akha teej in Rajasthan – even administration fails to control it.
• Failure of administrative machinery to implement laws.
• COVID-19 and related impacts – Job loss and closing of schools causing burden of child marriage, about 5000 child marriage cases being reported during lock down.
• Poverty, unemployment and social issues like harassment of girl child.

Due to this, following impacts are visible:

• Increasing female foeticide, infanticide.
• Teen pregnancy – high mortality.
• Malnutrition in mother and child.
• Lack of education among girls.
• Loss of potential demographic dividend.
• Cases of sexual harassment, violence due to lack of awareness about rights.

Measures like prohibition of child marriage, beti Bachao beti padhao are already taken.

But to address problem holistically, following measures can be taken:

• Checking social diktats.
• Awareness drives.
• Using Panchayat, community led change. E.g. Piplantri in Rajasthan – Panchayat lands 111 trees and secures money for 20 years on birth of a girl child, it helped to curb child marriage and harassment.
• Strict implementation of laws.
• Compulsory registration of marriages.
• Use of social media, movies, TV serials.
• Continuing efforts to educate girls.

Child marriage is the worst form of violence, therefore government and community must come together to fight it.