Empowering Change: Indian Activists Fight to End Child Marriage and Protect Young Brides

Child Marriage in India: A Distressing Reality

When wedding season arrives in India, Tatwashil Kamble, a child rights activist, receives countless calls. Families often seek to marry off their daughters due to financial struggles. In India, marriage before the age of 18 is illegal, but cultural pressures and poverty make it a harsh reality.

Kamble has spent over a decade working to stop these illegal marriages in Maharashtra. He recalls instances where villagers resisted his efforts, saying it was disrespectful to interfere. Many families believe marrying off their daughters is a way to ensure their well-being.

“It’s not that we oppose education,” shared Manisha Barde, a sugarcane cutter and a former child bride. She hoped for a better future for her daughter but felt that marriage was the only option due to their poverty.

Experts point out that financial independence for girls is often overlooked. According to UNICEF, India accounts for a staggering one in three child brides globally, with around 1.5 million girls marrying each year. This societal issue stems from a lack of resources and education.

The struggles aren’t just emotional; they also have dire physical consequences. Kamble remembers a heart-wrenching case where a young girl died during childbirth. He was struck by how society fails to recognize these deaths as a result of child marriage, diminishing the severity of the issue.

In Beed district, the landscape is dominated by sugarcane fields, and with continuous drought, families feel they have no choice but to marry their daughters young. Ashok Tangde, district chief of the child welfare committee, highlights that fear for a girl’s safety often drives these decisions. Many families, even those against child marriage, feel pressured to conform.

In the first five months of this year alone, Tangde received 321 calls regarding child marriage concerns. During peak wedding season, which stretches from October to March, he handles up to 15 calls daily, as activists rush to prevent ceremonies that violate the law.

Local informants play a vital role in this fight. Tangde works with a network of activists to track weddings and intervene. Disrupting a wedding is rarely without drama; emotions run high, and conflicts can erupt. Despite the risks, there’s a growing movement among villagers to support these efforts.

Individuals like Jyoti Thorat offer a stark view of these circumstances. Married at 16, she was robbed of her dreams of education and a career in law enforcement. Today, as a mother of two, she reflects on how early marriage still grips her community, often leaving girls with limited choices.

Advocacy and awareness are crucial to breaking this cycle. By bringing attention to these issues, society can begin to address the root causes. Empowering women through education and financial opportunities is essential. When families see that their daughters can thrive independently, the hope is that the terrible trend of child marriage can be reversed.

For more information on child marriage around the world, you can refer to UNICEF’s report on child marriage.

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CHILD BRIDES, CHILD MARRIAGES IN INDIA, INDIAN ACTIVISTS SEEK TO SAVE CHILD BRIDES FROM EARLY MARRIAGES