According to a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) survey, school and marriage are seen as being incompatible, and decisions about taking a girl out of school and marrying her off at a young age are frequently influenced by the perceived value of education and the availability of employment opportunities for educated girls. The poll reveals that child marriage would likely decrease by more than 80% of all females who pursued further education after completing their secondary education, or by 2/3, or 66 per cent.
According to UNICEF research, those with little to no education are at a higher risk of becoming child brides: “None of the top five nations for child marriage has a secondary completion rate for girls above 15%. Only 5% of girls complete secondary education in the top three nations. Girls who have completed at least a secondary school are frequently spared from early marriage, even in nations where it is extremely widespread. This demonstrates the size of the gaps between privileged and underprivileged groups in society. The most important element for delaying the age of marriage for females, according to UNICEF, is education.
“Quality education, particularly at the secondary school level, confers knowledge, builds skills and can empower girls to transition to employment successfully. However, to be most protective against child marriage, education must be paired with a robust labour market offering reliable employment,” it said.
According to recent Indian government statistics, 30% of women in the nation get married before turning 21. Most girls who marry between the ages of 18 and 21 do so in the states of West Bengal and Jharkhand. According to the Project Approval Board (PAB), which is part of the Ministry of Education, West Bengal is also one of the twelve states with secondary school dropout rates that are greater than the national average of 14.6%.
Child marriage among girls
Despite being a long-standing institution, child marriage is becoming less common, according to UNICEF. Child marriage has declined by 15% worldwide during the previous ten years. This indicates that 25 million girls’ weddings have been prevented in the past ten years. However, it continues to harm 650 million girls and women globally. The researchers noted that current global progress is insufficient to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) aim of ending child marriage by 2030.
Child marriage among boys
In the world, 115 million boys and men were married before the age of 18, according to UNICEF research. Despite the fact that boys and girls do not experience the same risks and repercussions because of biological and societal differences, the practice is nevertheless against the law. It is expected of boys who become child grooms to assume adult obligations for which they may not be ready. “The union may result in early fatherhood and increased financial pressure. According to UNICEF research, it can also limit the boy’s access to educational options and chances for professional progress.
In India, ladies must be 18 years old and boys must be 21 years old before they can get married. A parliamentary committee is now reviewing a draught that would increase the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21. According to the newly issued SRS Statistical Report 2020, 27.6% of rural women and 18.6% of urban women in India got married between the ages of 18 and 20.
