While early marriages are an issue of concern in some pockets in Tamil Nadu, the root cause is not difficult to identify. They are restricted to some pockets (see box), indicating that poverty, migration for work and insufficient motivation to stay in school are the dominant reasons.
Earlier this week, six marriages were stopped by officials in Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts.
R. Vidyasagar, Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF, says: “The high number of cases in Tamil Nadu is a reflection of the level of awareness. It doesn't automatically mean that Tamil Nadu is the worst State in the country. By our estimates, child marriage has been slowly declining in the State owing to increased enrolment in secondary education.”
Contrary to belief, an increase in urbanisation doesn’t correlate with a decrease in child marriage. Migratory labourers tend to marry off their daughters earlier because they feel it is not safe to leave them behind unmarried. Child marriage is also quite high in urban slums, again owing to reasons of security. Urbanisation in itself won’t solve the problem. Education and changes in attitude are important, he adds.
The fear of elopement is another factor that forces parents to consider early marriage for girls. “Parents do send their daughters for higher education; but if they fail, the only option is marriage,” he says.
The latest District Level Household Survey has shown a marginal improvement in the mean age for marriage in rural areas — from 20.9 years in 2008 to 21.5 years in 2013. In urban areas, it remains at 22.
According to T. Alagappan, former member of the Child Welfare Committee, early marriages have been prevented successfully as State government officials, up to the Collector, are actively involved. The vigilant village committees, intense awareness programmes, and children’s participation in these programmes are good, he says.
The UNICEF has formed 500 clubs for adolescents and is providing them life skills education. “Without proper avenues for sex education in schools, students need space to understand what they are undergoing in adolescence,” Mr. Vidyasagar says.
In Salem, where 13 marriages have been prevented in the last six months, officials have managed to send the girls back to school or college as they were keen on continuing their studies. “The District Social Welfare Department has given specific instructions to its block-level staff to have regular contacts with the heads of the institutions and ensure that these girls continue their education,” says an official of the Department.
Though schools are actively preventing early marriages, it may not be sufficient. “Schools should give information more than what is available in textbooks. While the girls have taken the initiative for advocacy, there is need to work with boys, too,” he adds.
( With additional reporting by Syed Muthahar Saqaf in Salem )
