Notwithstanding a better gender balance in the southern part of the country, child marriage has been found to be on a rise in Kerala in recent years, according to United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
“In south India we have a relatively better gender balance which explains lower rates of child marriage. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown a rising rate in Kerala,” Unicef’s Child Protection Specialist in India Dora Giusti said.
Giusti attributed the phenomenon in the state, considered to be India's most literate, to migration from the northern parts of the country. “Child marriage is more common among certain groups and among disadvantaged communities. In Kerala it was not the case even a few years back, but lately there has been a rise due to migration from the northern parts of India,” Giusti explained.
According to a Unicef report, in India there were more child marriages in rural areas than in urban areas. While 52.5 per cent of the currently married women belong to the age group of 20-24 years in rural areas around 28.2 per cent in urban areas got married before they attained 18. Although the gap between urban and rural areas has almost halved from 30.2 per cent in 1992-1993 to 18.6 per cent in 2007-2008, currently married women in rural areas are twice more likely to be child brides than their urban counterparts, the report said.
Bihar has the highest incidence of child marriage at 68 per cent while Himachal Pradesh has the lowest incidence, with nine per cent, it stated. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal have the highest incidence of child marriage ranging from 51.9 per cent to 68.2 per cent, the report revealed.
In these states, at least one in two married women in the age group 20-24 years happened to be a child bride, it said. Among five out of the six states with the highest incidence, Uttar Pradesh being the sole exception, more than half of the districts have a higher incidence of child marriage than the state average, the report said.
“In south India we have a relatively better gender balance which explains lower rates of child marriage. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown a rising rate in Kerala,” Unicef’s Child Protection Specialist in India Dora Giusti said.
Giusti attributed the phenomenon in the state, considered to be India's most literate, to migration from the northern parts of the country. “Child marriage is more common among certain groups and among disadvantaged communities. In Kerala it was not the case even a few years back, but lately there has been a rise due to migration from the northern parts of India,” Giusti explained.
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“The District Level Household and Facility Survey's survey in 2007-08 shows child marriage is widespread but more prevalent in rural areas (48 per cent v/s 29 per cent). Further, child marriage is common in lower caste and scheduled tribes.”
According to a Unicef report, in India there were more child marriages in rural areas than in urban areas. While 52.5 per cent of the currently married women belong to the age group of 20-24 years in rural areas around 28.2 per cent in urban areas got married before they attained 18. Although the gap between urban and rural areas has almost halved from 30.2 per cent in 1992-1993 to 18.6 per cent in 2007-2008, currently married women in rural areas are twice more likely to be child brides than their urban counterparts, the report said.
Bihar has the highest incidence of child marriage at 68 per cent while Himachal Pradesh has the lowest incidence, with nine per cent, it stated. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal have the highest incidence of child marriage ranging from 51.9 per cent to 68.2 per cent, the report revealed.
In these states, at least one in two married women in the age group 20-24 years happened to be a child bride, it said. Among five out of the six states with the highest incidence, Uttar Pradesh being the sole exception, more than half of the districts have a higher incidence of child marriage than the state average, the report said.