This document discusses child marriage in India and opportunities to address it. Some key points: - Close to half of girls in India are married before age 18, denying them health, education and other rights. - Efforts over the past decade have brought greater recognition and government action on the issue. However, child marriage remains underfunded and sustains intergenerational poverty and social issues. - The report identifies priority intervention areas like education, vocational training, and empowering gatekeepers and recommends 30 high-potential non-profits working in this space. Increased funding and support is needed to scale effective programs that empower girls and reduce child marriage.

1. USAID Kiawah TrustFROM THEAMERICAN PEOPLE
Preventing Child Marriage and Early Pregnancy in India g

2. Photo credit:Bachpan BachaoAndoIan

3. Foreword
Child marriage caughtmy attention in 2010. It was myfirst trip to India sinceI had become a
parent and so I began to see the worldthrough a mother's eyes. During that visit, I spent a
memorable hourin the home of a young Indian mother, who lived in the slums of Mumbai. We
commiserated over our lack of sleep, laughedover our babies' antics,and sharedsmiles of pride,
as I looked at heryoung son and showed her pictures of my daughter. This woman was far
younger thanI - perhaps not yet20. From what I learned of her life, I surmised that she would
not be able to continueher education, pursue paid work of her choice,or discoverwho she could
be, in addition to being the caring mother she clearly had become.
It was this trip thatgot the Kendeda Fund thinkingabout the issue andwhether or not we should
enter this space. Wedid. Last year the Kendeda Fund sanctioned a multi-million dollargrant
focused on ending child marriagein India. Since then I have been askedmany times, "Why child
marriage? Why India?"The answer for me is relatively simple. Ending child marriage- if done
with the full partnershipof the Indian people- will represent nothing shortof a revolution for
India's girlstoday and in generationsto come. Atthe Kendeda Fund we felt India wasa good place
to focus given its enormous potential forleadership on this issue, not onlywithin the South Asia
region, but around the world.
I would like to offera few humble thoughts,based onour experience, to the growing numberof
donors and activists from aroundthe world whoare stepping into this relativelynew sector:
1. It is critical that we work withlocal communities to definenot just whatpractices weare
against but what are we for. Itis not enoughfor us to envision a world without child marriage.
Our challengeis to definea positive visionfor adolescentgirls.
2. Efforts to tackle child marriage shouldaim to tackle broader genderissues within which this
practice exits. As one woman asked me,"Why will it matter if my daughter is married at 18
instead of 16, if she still has no economic opportunities, no reproductive control,and livesin
fear of violence daily?"
3. We needto focus on empowering the millions ofgirls across Indiawho are already child brides,
in addition toa focus on prevention. They deserve everyopportunity to live a full and
rewarding life.
Child marriage may seemlike too complex and macro a problem for us to solve. Yet we have seen
examples at the community level of enduring, positivechange, for and by India's girls. Various
non-profits such as the ones profiled in this report are doing valuablework on the ground to
prevent child marriageand build strongalternatives forgirls. Yet, they suffer froma lack of
capacity to documenttheir work, evaluatetheir progress, structure their systems, seekmore
funding, and ultimately toscale. Allfunders - corporations, foundations, international
development agencies, andindividual philanthropistshave a role to play in filling this gap and
supporting these non-profit organizations.
I truly believe no work is more rewarding than this.Please join withus. It would be our honor to
learn with and from you.
Dena Kimball
Executive Director of the Kendeda Fund
(A private foundation and currently the largest donor to thechild marriagesector in India)

4. Photo credit: www!redhot
Acknyledgements

5. Acknowledgements
Marry Me Later providesan analysis of the seemingly intractable problemof child marriagein
India, with the principalaim of identifyinghigh potential non-profit organizations that funders
should lookto supportand scale. First andforemost, we would like to thank ourdonors - USAID,
Kiawah Trust and Omidyar Network- for their vision, passion andcommitment to addressing
child marriageas a fundamental developmentconcern that hinders millions of adolescent girls in
India from achieving their potential.
Dasra's advisory research team would especiallylike to thank- Dena Kimball, Dipa Nag
Chowdhury, Dr. Suni[ Mehra, Jaya Sharma, K. G. Santhya, Lakshmi Sundaram,Priya Das, Priya
Nanda, Rema Nanda, Shobhana Boyle, Sushmita Mukherjee, and Vanita Mukherjee - for taking
time out fromtheir busy schedules and allowing us to borrowtheir expertise on this issue. Dasra
would also liketo thank the teamat Copal Partners for their timelyand invaluable support in
editing the report.
Dasra would like to express its gratitude toall the non-profit organizations we spoketo and
visited, whoare working hard, against all odds, to address the issue of child marriagein India. We
thank themfor giving us their precious time, sharing their thoughts and experiences, and helping
us understand what is really happening on the ground.These perspectives have enabled Dasra to
make this publication current,practical and action-oriented.
In the course of this research, Dasra's team metwith girls with innumerablestories of resilience,
courage and hope evenin the face of daunting challenges. Dasra would like to thankthese girls
and their families for not only sharingtheir stories butalso inspiring us.
Finally, thank you for joining us on this journey and for your interestin this report.We look to you
to further the directionset by this report, by using your influence,skills, andfunding to support
effective non-profit organizations scale uptheir response, and enable millions of adolescent girls
and existing child bridesin India, realizetheir potential.
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Acknowledgements 411

6. Biggest Challenges
At 40%, India accounts for the world's largest
share ofchild marriages globally
47% of Indian girlsare married beforeage 18
and 22% of Indiangirls have already given
birth before theythemselves turn18
Girls under 15 are 5x as likely to die in child
birth than womenin their early 20s
The cost oflost productivity due to adolescent
pregnancies in India is $7.7 billion a year

7. Biggest Opportunities
Girls that pursue secondary schoolingare 70%
less likely to marry as children
In just four years, a program providing life
skills to adolescent girls increasedthe
median age of marriage from 16 to 17 years
An adolescent health program provid
health assessmentand education to young
girls increased theage of first conception
from 15.8 to 18 years between 2003 and 2012
At least 30 non-profit organizations in India
are concertedly focused on addressing child
marriage as a core issue

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Executive Summary
Close to half of India's girlsare married before theage of 18, and one in five is married even
before she turns 15. But child marriageis more thanjust a statistical problem. It is a harmful
traditional practice that denies children, especiallygirls, basic rights to a healthy life, protection
from abuse andexploitation and equal opportunities for development.Years of research shows
that child marriagecontributes to virtuallyevery social problem that affects India - poverty, high
birth rates, malnutrition, infant mortality,illiteracy, unemployment and low life expectancy.
The burden of child marriage
For a child who becomes a bride, life changes completely without as much as a warning. She is
uprooted and separated from her family,friends and everything that is familiar toher, and sent to
live with her husbandand his family - strangers, essentially.Besides an education and childhood
being curtailed, she is also more likely to become a victim of domestic violence;child bridesare
twice as likely to be beaten and thrice as likely to experience forcedsex than girls marriedlater.
Traumatic initiation into sexual relationships coupled with the social pressure to reproduceplaces
their young bodies undersevere stress;adolescent girls aged 15-19 are twice as likely to die in
child birth as women in their twenties, and those under15 years of age are five times more likely
to die. For those that survive, the chances of experiencing a still birth or newborndeath is 50%
higher than itis for women aged 20to 29.
Unfortunately, deep-rooted patriarchalbeliefs about therole and value of a girl, primarily as
caretaker of her household and children, and alsoas paraya dhan (wealthof another), combined
with the intractable problemof poverty, sustainsthe problemof child marriage over generations.
Studies showthat daughters ofwomen who were child bridesare atgreater risk of being married
as children themselves.
What progress has India made?
In the past decade orso, a few leading international private foundations - notably Ford,
MacArthur and PackardFoundation, and multilateral agencies such as UNFPA and UNICEF have
played a key role in bringing this previously neglectedissue to the forefront.In doing so, they have
also encouraged thegovernmentto view child marriageas a stand-alone issue which impedesthe
Millennium DevelopmentGoals. Most recently, another private foundation, theKendeda Fund
has committed over $15 million to this newly formed sectorin India. Furthermore, the
government has become moreaction-oriented in the last two decades, moving away from purely
legislative reforms focusedon increasing age of marriage, to introducingand strengthening
practical initiatives on the groundsuch as conditional cash transfer schemes.
As a result of all these efforts, thereis an increasing recognitionthat while delaying age of
marriage is critical, adolescentgirls also needto be empowered duringthese crucialyears, to
enable better decision makingeven after they turn18. Programs aimed at educating and
empowering girls are beginning to bear fruit, giving girlsthe confidence tosay no to early
marriage, whichfor many, would once have been a foregone conclusion.
Illustration credit: UrmulTrust
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Where can efforts be better directed?
Based on Indian and international evidence, consultations with experts and views of Dasra's
advisory committee which comprisedDipa NagChowdhury, K.G Santhya, Priya Nanda, Shobhana
Boyle, Dr. Sunil Mehra, SushmitaMukherjee, and VanitaMukherjee, Dasra hasidentified four key
priority areas where collectiveaction shouldbe focused:
1. Creating alternate life options for girls. Providing girlswith the 'education toemployment
continuum' provides them withan enabling solution, allowingthem toexplore alternative life
choices to early marriage.
2. Identifying and sensitizing gatekeepers.It is critical to engage gatekeepers who significantly
influence a girl's life choices - fathers and brothers, older womenin the family, religiousand
community leaders. Evidence showsthat most cases of positive change involvea gatekeeper,
whose sheerconviction to stand-their-groundenables the girl to delay her marriage.
3. Promoting birth and marriage registration.59% of all births remain unregisteredin India.
Birth registration is a proof ofage and so plays a significant role in preventing thepractice as
well as ensuring that the girl childand her family can accessnumerous welfareschemes.
4. Addressing the needs of adolescent brides. Along with preventing child marriage, itis crucial
to address the uniqueneeds of child bridesso as to mitigate the negative impactsof child
marriage and improve their health and well-being.
What is most effectiveon-the-ground?
Two interventions stand out as the most impactfuland scalable - a) facilitating access to
education, which entails activitiessuch as awareness generation of its significance and bridge
courses for drop-out students; and b) the provision ofvocational training,life skills and sexual and
reproductive health (SRH) information. These interventions give girlsalternatives toearly
marriage and equip them withskills to make informed decisions about their future.Other
important and effective interventions include thosethat cultivate role models as peer leaders;
mobilize communities torecognize the ill-effectsof child marriage;train government
functionaries and frontline workers; and build the capacityof otherorganizations working on
issues suchas adolescent health, education,child rights,and livelihoods to considerchild
marriage prevention as a critical outcome.
Following an extensive mappingof over 300 organizations, Dasra identified 30 non-profit
organizations in India that are focused on addressing the issue of child marriage.Ten of these
organizations have been highlighted as those which deliver the mostimpactful and scalable
child marriage programs, representinghigh potential investment options for fundersand
sector supporters.
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the status quo. We'ryTust...oetiNtAto preventyet another geoeVatiOqi@f-y-o-Ung girls from falling
victim to harmfultradiOn'i u'rdterthe guise of celebration.,,Dafrais )iii,on is that in the not too
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12. o L

13. 47% of Indian girlsare married before
the age of 18.
.10
Too Soon: An overview ofchild marriagein India
In Hindu mythology, Saraswatiis the Goddess of knowledge. However, for nine year oldSaraswati
who livedin a small village in Rajasthan andwas oneoffive daughters in the family, the completion
of hereducation was a distant dream. As a primary school student, she wasdiligent at her studies,
and wanted to grow up tobecome a teacher. Buther parents worried about herfuture.
In April 2004, on the auspicious dayof Akha Teej, Saraswati's eldestsister; Asha,aged 17, was to
be married to a boy from a neighboring village. Invitation cards had been sent to both families and
other acquaintances. All five sisters had spentthe entire week helping with the dec
mehndi and rangoli.They were all excited becausetheir motherand auntsdressed them in fine
clothes and jewelry on the dayof the wedding.By late evening, theprocession from the groom's
side had arrived, half drunk, at their village. Allfive sisters weretold to sit on the stageduring the
wedding, with the youngest, onlyfive years old, fast asleep on herfather's shoulder. They were all
married thatday to boysrelated to the groom'sfamily.
At the ageof13, after the start of herfirst menstrual cycle, Saraswati was sent off to her 22 year
old husband's house. On her departure, hermother tearfully toldher to "bea good girl". But no
one, neither her ownparents norher in-laws, talkedto her about sex or pregnancy. By the ageof
15, Saraswati was pregnant for the second time.A year ago, her first child, conceived at the age
of 14 had miscarried. She had not realized thenthat she was pregnant and her miscarriage had
confused her. Her mother-in-law hadfound her cryingin a pool ofblood behindtheir butand had
had to explain thesituation to her. Seven months into hersecond pregnancy,she developed
complications and hadto be rushed to the nearest health facility, two hoursaway. Saraswati and
herchild eventually never madeit back home.
Under international law, the term'child marriage'is used to
describe a legal or customary union between twopeople,
when one orboth parties are below the age of 18 years.
In India, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006
defines a child as 'aperson who,if a male, has not completed
21 years ofage, andif a female, has not completed 18 years
of age'.
Too Soon: Anoverview ofchild marriagein India le

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Saraswati's story is one of lost childhood, unfulfilled potentialand viol ionof basic human rights It is the cumulative resultof multiple factors, key among whichwas,l-fer marriage as a child. In the . `
minute orso it has taken you to read Saraswati's story,11 more els like her became child brides` %
in India. . . .
. . `
` India accounts for 40% of the world'schild marriages,a harmful traditional practice that denies
children - both boys andgirls - their basic rights to a healthy life, to equal opportunities for
development, and to protection fromabuse andexploitation. It places children in the adult
institution ofmarriage, often without prior intimationor consent,forcibly depriving themof their
childhood and imposing on them responsibilities that are beyond their age or due.' Although
boys enter intoearly marriageas well, the practice affects girlsin greater numbersand with grave
consequences for their health, education and livelihood prospects. While nearly halfof all Indian
girls are married beforetheir 18th birthday, what is worse is that 22% bear children when they
themselves are children.'
Ending child marriagein India: A work-in-progress
While child marriagein India is still extremely prevalent,some progresshas been madeoverthe
last two decades:
Child marriage rates havedecreased from the timeof the first NationalFamily Health Survey
(1992-93) when 54% of women aged 20-24 years were marriedas children to47% as per the
last National Family Health Survey(2005-06).
The median age at which girls are married has increased marginallyfrom 16.1 yearsto 16.8
years in the same period.
Girls married beforethe age of 18
60%
co
17
54%
50% - 16-
47%
40% 15
1992-93
Source: National Family Health Survey
2005-06
Median age of marriage for girls
16.8
1992-93 2005-06
Nevertheless, the practice remainswidespread. While child marriageis prevalent throughout
India, in at least seven states- Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, MadhyaPradesh, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, andWest Bengal - more than halfof girls are married whilelegally stillchildren.
Girls aremost vulnerable in the state of Bihar with nearly 70% of women in their early twenties
reportedly married before thelegal age.2 The practice of child marriageis also more commonin
rural areas - around 48% of women currently marriedand aged20-24 were marriedwhile aged
under 18, compared to 29% in urban areas.3
elToo Soon: An overview ofchild marriagein India

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Jammu & Kashmir
Himachal
Pradesh
Punjab
Uttaranchal Arunachal
Pradesh
aryana
NCT of Delhi
Sikkim
Rajasthan
Uttar Pradesh
Assam
Bihar
Gujrat Jharkhand
Madhya Pradesh
West
Bengal
Chhattisgarh
Dadar &
Nagar Havel
Orrisa
Maharashtra
Andhra Pradesh
Goa Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Source: UNFPA database using DLHS and other household surveys
Meghalaya
4,Tripura Mizoram
Percentage (%)
Nagaland
Manipur
O 11.7-19.9
O 20.0-29.9
O 30.0-39.9
O 40.0 & above
O Data not available
Too Soon: Anoverview ofchild marriagein India le

16. The Big Picture: The journey ofa child bridein India
The girl childis accorded low value, considered"paraya
dhan"(another's wealth), a burden that needs to be
transferred to anotherfamily.
Deep-rooted patriarchalbeliefs view the role of a girl as a
caretaker of childrenand the household.
Marginalized
Womenfrom the lowesteconomic
quintile households getmarried five
years earlier thangirls in the highest
quintile households.
V
Lack of Education
Girls with no education are six times
more likelytoget married as minors
than thosewith 10 years or more of
education.
V
Rural
Girls in rural areas arealmost twice as
likely to be child brides,than those
living in urban areas.
Typically, a girl is promised in marriage by her family,either when she is a young childor teenager to
'secure' her future. Sometimes, her marriage may bearranged even before she is born.
47% of girls in Indiaare married before theage of18; one in five girls is married before the ageof15.
Weddings are often held secretly or in conjunction with anotherevent such as a funeral. Younger
daughters, someaged 5-10, tend tobe included discreetlyin the ceremony.
AIt is difficult for thepolice toidentify
child marriagesas they happen secretly.
ASince the practice enjoyssocial
sanction, childmarriagesare
under-reported.
AChild marriage can beannulled onlyby
the parents of the couple or the couple
itself.
If the girl has been married as a child, traditionally, she is expected tolive ather parents' home until
puberty, after whichshe is sent to her husband's home to commence her marriedlife.
The transition from wife to motherusually occurswithin a year ortwo of marriage.
22% ofIndian girlshave already given birth by the ageof 18.
Twice as likely to report being beaten,
thrice as likely to report being subjected
to forced sex
4
Infants of adolescent mothersare 50%
more likely toresult intostillbirths and
newborn deaths
Twice as likely to die in childbirth as
women in theirtwenties
Lack of agency due toloss of peer
networks and discontinued education
Prone to post-traumatic stress suchas
hopelessness and severe depression
Daughters of women whowerechild bridesare at greater risk of being marriedas children themselves
The lifetime opportunity cost of adolescentpregnancy of thosecurrently aged 15-19 will total12% of India's
annual GDP
0 Too Soon: Anoverview ofchild marriagein India

17. Tracing the journey of a child bride
The drivers that encourage the existence of child marriageare multiple and layered. They reflect
a combination ofpoverty, lack of education, continuedperpetration ofpatriarchal relationsthat
facilitate gender inequalities,and cultural perspectives that enable the institution topersist. The
practice of child marriageis driven by deep-rooted patriarchalbeliefs about therole and value of
girls, both within the familyand in society. From an early age, a girl is conditioned toview her
father, brother and future husband as a breadwinner, decisionmaker and headofthe household.
Conversely she is taught toundertake household responsibilities,support her husband
unconditionally and bear sons to continue the family'slineage.
In Northern India, IKhap Panchayatsl, informal but all-powerful village
councils that often govern ruralareas, havedecreed that girls shouldbe
married as soon as they reach puberty to prevent social corruption and
the influx of 'western values'.
Source: www.huffingtonpost.com/siddharth-chatterjee/married-young-the-scourge_b_4550523.html
In addition tobeing molded in her stereotypical role, the girl childis often regarded as an
economic burden.Families areforced to select whichof their children they willinvest in, due to
lack of resources. Most often, theychoose their sons, as they believe they will continueto live
with themand support themin their old age. The daughter on the other hand is considered to be
"paraya dhan" (i.e. the "wealthof another") and is expected to move to her marital homeafter
she is married. Marryingher atan early age is a strategy for economic survival, as it ensuresthere
is one less person to feed, clothe and educate.' The patriarchal mindset coupledwith theburden
of poverty results in parents placingscant valueon their daughters and disregarding government
laws andregulations to marry their daughters earlier than permissible.
Even when parentsare prepared todelay their daughter's marriage, the lack of secondary schools
in rural areas, the high riskof sexual exploitation while travelling to far-offschools, andthe
absence of employmentopportunities foreducated girls in these areas, all deter parents from
investing time and money in their daughters. Equally, a girl livingat home, alone,while her
parents are out at work is also atrisk of sexual assault.Finding themselves unable to safeguard
their daughter's honor, which also determines that ofthe family, parentsare eager to pass on her
responsibility to someone else, not fully understandingthe impact of thismove on their daughter.
Betrothal
Finding a suitable groomfor their daughter as early as possible not onlyensures the family's
own survival butin their mind also secures herfuture. Betrothals occurat different stages
depending on the customs of the state and community. They may take placebefore a child is
born, as infants, youngchildren or as teenagers. For example, itis quite commonin Rajasthan
for girls as young as five to be promised to boys their age or a few years older,while remaining
completely unaware of what is happening to them. Sometimes, thegirl is promised in marriage
even before she is born, whentwo families agree to marrytheir yet unborn children ifthey turn
out tobe of different sexes.
Too Soon: Anoverview ofchild marriagein India le

18. Girls with no education are six times more likely to get
married than thosewith 10 years or more of education.
Source: www hetv org/indhainfhsinfhs3/ NFRS-3-India-Ful I-Report-Volume-1 pdf
0 Too Soooverview ofchild niorriagein India

19. Marriage
As the practiceis illegal, childmarriage typically takes place atnight or in the earlyhours of the
morning. Younger sisters, irrespective of theirage are often marriedat the same ceremony as
their elder sisters, to save money. Sometimes, other ceremonies such as funerals are used to
formalize marriages, eliminating the cost of re-inviting and entertaining the same guests.Another
method commonly applied toreduce expensesis the practice knownas atta-satta, wherea
daughter is exchanged for a daughter-in-law, irrespectiveof her age.' Accordingto the mausar
ceremony, which mainly occursin Rajasthan, uponthe deathof a family member, a marriage must
be solemnized by the familywithin 13 days to transform theoccasion from one of sorrow toone
of joy, evenif no family members are of marriageable age.'Families are only too eager to use such
practices to marry a daughter early, as the youngershe is, the less dowry or brideprice they will
be required to pay to the groom'sfamily.
Dressed in finery, laden with jewelry and hennadecorated hands, some child bridesare too young
to remain awake, insteadfalling asleep in their father's lap, clutching their toys while the
ceremony takes place.Even when the girlis older, she generally remains unawareof the factand
significance of her marriage until the ceremonyis over. Only when she is instructed toleave for
her newmarital homedoes she realize that she is married. Even then, her age and lackof agency
provide little opportunity for her toquestion her parents' decision.
Gauna (Send-off)
Traditionally in the northern states of India, when a girl is married as a young child she staysin her
natal hometill she reaches puberty. At that point, she is considered to be anadult, and therefore
old enough to consummateher marriage and fulfill her marital duties.The gauna ceremony
involves the physical transfer of the girl from her natalto her marital home and typically occurs
soon after she begins menstruating. In most rural communities preserving thevirginity ofthe girl
until she begins living with her husbandis sacrosanct, and is closely associatedwith her family's
honor. A girl's sexualityis considered moreas family property, than thegirl's independent choice
or right, tobe protected and passed onto her marital family.In order tosafeguard their daughter
from pre-maritalsex, consensual orforced - the family will thusseek to arrange her marriage
early and move herto her marital homeas soon as she attains puberty.
Loss of Innocence: Life after marriage
For a child who becomes a bride, life changescompletely without as much as a warning. One day
she may be at homehelping her mother withhousehold chores. The nextday she is told she
must leave to live with her husbandand his family - strangers, essentially.She is not allowed to
go to school. She is separated from her friends, familyand everything that is familiar toher.
Along with an education and childhood being cut short,she is more likely to become a victim of
domestic violenceand suffer severe stressand depression. Sexual activity begins soonafter
marriage. Traumaticinitiation into sexual relationships coupledwith the social pressure on their
young bodies to reproduce, particularly toproduce male offspring, puts them and their children
at grave riskof life-long ill health oreven death. On average, a woman whohas her first child
before the age of 18 will go onto have sevenchildren by the timeshe completes childbearing.'
Having manychildren increases the likelihoodof poor maternal, infantand child health.' In
addition, large families are more difficult to feed, which reinforces thecycle of poverty, child
marriage and early pregnancy.
In India onein five of all 20-24 year old women have given birth by the age of 18.9 Motherhood
in childhood occurs for several reasons:exposure to frequent, often forcedsex; the pressure on
a woman to 'prove'her fertility as soon as possible; poor awareness of familyplanning
measures; ignorance of the effects of early pregnancyon a woman's health;and the inability to
negotiate contraceptionuse. Early pregnancies have significant consequences bothfor the
mother - as her body is insufficiently mature tobear the physical burden of carrying a baby -
and herdependent children.
Too Soon: Anoverview ofchild marriagein India

20. "Child marriage is not only wrong,it is dangerous. It exposes a young girl
to profound healthrisks from earlypregnancy and difficult childbirth, and
it exposes her babyto complications of premature birth."
- Anthony Lake, Executive Directorof UNICEF
Maternal mortalityand morbidity: Possibly one of the worst effectsof child marriageis that it
results in early pregnancyand increased maternal mortality.Girls under 15 are 5 times as likely
and girls aged 15-19 are twice as likely to die in child birth as women in their early 20s due to their
emotional and physicalimmaturity.' High levels of anemia and malnutrition among adolescent
girls in India, combined with the inabilityto seek anduse adequate healthcare further compound
the risk to their wellbeing.11'According tothe United Nations,complications frompregnancy and
childbirth are the leading causes of death for girls aged 15-19 in developing countries.'
Girls under 15 are 5x aslikely and girls aged 15-19 are 2x as likely to die
in child birthas women in their early 20s dueto their emotional and
physical immaturity.
If the girl survives,she will probablyexperience somephysical damage dueto an obstructed labor. As
a doctor at the MahatmaGandhi Hospitalin Hyderabad said, "This15 year old offers a classic example
of what can gowrong ifyou havea baby too young.She has high blood pressure, and because her body
is not yet fully developed, herpelvic passage is too small andthe baby will getstuck. We shall have to
carry out a caesarean."' Girls unable to access medical facilitiesthat conduct caesarian operationswill
often experience obstetric fistula,a debilitating conditionthat renders a woman incontinent,and in
most cases, results in a stillbirth or thedeath of the baby within the first weekof life.' In addition to
these pregnancy related healthissues, young married girlsare at greater risk of infection fromsexually
transmitted diseases suchas HIV/AIDS than boys, as they are forced to give into sex with an older
husband, governed by values that prohibit resistance, and are unableto access information and
services that could helpthem protectthemselves.
16
Child mortality and morbidity: Stillbirths and newborn deathsare 50%higher among infantsof
adolescent mothers than amongthoseof mothers between theages of 20 and29.17 If the child
survives, itwill generallyhave a lower birth weight and exhibit growth retardation,due to the
mother's physical immaturity, and the factthat she is probably under-nourished.' This
perpetuates a vicious cycle of malnutrition throughout adulthood and transmits physical, social
and economic disadvantages from one generation to another.To make matters worse, their low
household status meansmarried girlscannot demand adequatenutrition for either the
daughters or themselves.The riskof malnutrition is higher for children under theage of five
years born to mothers under theage of 18, than for childrenborn to women married after the
legal age."
Violence and abuse: Many parentsbelieve that marriage willprotect their daughters from sexual
violence. This is an ironic expectationgiven that young, married girls are at greater risk of sexual
and physicalviolence in their marital home.' A young, married girl has very low statusand
negotiating power, leaving her morevulnerable toabuse by her husbandand other family
members.' Husbands often initiatechild bridesinto sex byforce or coercion.Such children
typically continue to experiencefrequent, non-consensualsex throughout their marriage.'A
survey in Bihar and Jharkhand found that girls married before theage of 18 were three timesas
likely as those married laterto reportbeing forced to have sex without their consent in the
preceding six months. Further, childbrides weretwice as likely to reportbeing beaten, slappedor
threatened by their husbands, than girls who marriedlater.'
Too Soon:An overview ofchild marriagein India

21. kalT4 cgia oT,F4t
c61 (435v
Photo credit: UrmulTrust
- .
Too Soon: Anoverview ofchild marriagein India le

22. Trafficked childbrides: Rampant sex selection in certain areas of the country has ledto a shortage
of women of marriageable age. As a result, girlsare being married at evenlower ages.
Unfortunately, thehigh demand for girls in affluent states such as Haryana, where sex selection is
particularly common,has resulted in girls beingtrafficked for marriage from poorerstates like
Assam. This more recentdevelopment has exacerbated an already serious problem,as it not only
involves thetrafficking ofgirls for marriage but tendsto affect youngergirls who attract higher
bridal prices. Trafficked child brides,usually unableto speak the language of thearea to which
they have been transported, can often neither escape nor report their situation to
authorities. As a result, they become easy targets for wife sharing among family member
reselling in marriage to another, orfor being further trafficked intoprostitution.
Psychological trauma: Not surprisingly,child brides often showsigns of child sexual abuse and
post-traumatic stress, including feelingsof hopelessness, helplessnessand severe depression.'
After marriage they leave their family and everything that is familiar to them.They lose their peer
networks because they drop out of school, andare not allowed toleave their new homesto meet
new peers or old friends. They are alsodenied any decision-making powers orindependence and
often have a low sense of self-worth. Withmarriage they also lose their childhood, and
sometimes in a matter of months make the transition frombeing a child to being a married
mother with adultresponsibilities underthe authority ofa new husbandand family. For most of
these young brides, psychologicaltrauma is inevitable.
Inter-generational consequences: Unfortunately the consequencesofchild marriageare not just
felt over the courseof a single life-time, as they are inter-generational.' Child marriage is a driver
for early, multiple and complicated births. With more mouths tofeed, andhigh medical expenses
linked to early pregnancy,the financialburden on a married girl and her family increases, pushing
her deeper intopoverty. This increases the likelihoodof a premature marriage for their
daughters.' Indeed, studiesshow that daughters of women who werechild bridesare atgreater
risk of being married as children themselves, perpetuating cycles of povertyand
disempowerment.27
"Child marriage continuesto be immersed in a vicious cycle of poverty, low
educational attainment,high incidences ofdisease, poorsex ratios, the
subordination of women,and most significantly the inter-generational
cycles of all ofthese."
Source: cis.uchicago.edu/sites/cis.uchicago.eddfiles/resources/081118-Shulman_India-BackgroundReading.pdf
The costof inaction
'According to decades of research, child marriagescontribute to virtually every social problem
that keeps India behindin women's rights. The problems include soaring birthrates, grinding
poverty andmalnutrition, high illiteracy and infant mortality, and lowlife expectancy, especially
among rural women.""
The evidence is clear: for girls, early marriage and pregnancy adversely affecttheir rights to
education and health, to life opportunities and indeed, to life itself.It is time toend child
marriage, simply for the sake of those who are subjected to it.
Yet, the costs of inaction extend farbeyond the price paid by girls themselves. Negative
consequences of early marriageimpact families, communities,and the entire nation.In India
alone, the costof lost productivity due to adolescentpregnancies is $7.7 billion a year.' The
0 Too Soon:An overview ofchild marriagein India

23. 28 million girls in India would become child
brides in the nexttwo decades.
The cost of lostproductivity due to adolescent pregnancies in India is $7.7
billion a year.
Source: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-10-30/news/43528697_1_adolescent-girls-pregnancy-young-girls
lifetime opportunity cost of adolescent pregnancy ofthosecurrently aged 15-19 will total 12% of
India's annual GDP.'What is worse is that these adverse effectsare not confinedto the mother;
instead these extendto her children, continuing thecycle of poverty, deprivation and violation of
basic human rights.
We know that the costs of inaction, in terms of unrealized rights, lostpotential and development
opportunities, far outweigh theexpense of intervention.We alsoknow theextent of the problem:
as example, 28 million of the girls in India, born between2005 and 2010,will become child bridesby
2030.31 Unless immediate measures aretaken to address earlymarriage, it will continue tobe the
epicenter of numerous issues Indiais grappling with - sex selection, domestic violence, maternal
and infant mortality,and disempowerment ofwomen. As a nation we cannot afford to overlook
the well-beingand potential ofthese at-risk girls or the millionswho are already married today.
We needto act now.
Key takeaways
Child marriage is an extremely widespread problemfacing India today. 47%of girls aged
20-24 - amounting to26 million girls -were married under theage of 18.32 Further, 18% of
women aged 20-24 were married before theage of 15 years.'
Child marriage is driven by deep-rooted beliefs about therole andvalue of a girl's life.
Gendered mindsets resultin parents placinglittle value on educating their daughters, who
drop out ofschool with limited livelihoodprospects and noalternatives toearly marriage.
This allows stereotypical beliefs of a girl's potential to continueunchallenged in rural areas.
Child brides are at greater risk of sexual and physicalviolence in their marital home, and
vulnerable todebilitating sexual andreproductive infectionssuch as HIV.Girls under 15
are 5x as likely and girls aged 15-19 are 2x as likely to die in child birth thanwomenin their
early 20s.
22% of womenin India aged20-24 give birth before theage of 18 - infants of adolescent
mothers are likelyto be still born, remainmalnourished and in case of a daughter, be
married as a child thereby perpetuating povertyand disempowerment.
Cost of inaction is significant - the lifetimeopportunity cost of adolescent pregnancyof
those currently aged 15-19 will total12% of India's annualGDP.
Too Soon: Anoverview ofchild marriagein India

24. My name is Selvi...
and I am a driver!!
Photo credit: Eliso Poloschi
0 1 Stories OfChange

25. /
At the age of 14, Selviwas forcefully married off. Repeatedly abusedby her husband,she ranaway
to her natalhome for shelter. But hermother and family were unwilling.They beather, taunted
her andrepeatedly asked her to return toher husband.All this forcedSelvi to run awaya second
time; this time toend herlife. She saw a bus speeding down herway, and wished to come under
it; but just in the nick of time, she changed her mindand climbed thebus instead!
Selvi was helped by strangers, dissuadedfrom pursuing houseworkto earn a livelihood, and
referred to theOdanadi shelter for girls. At Odanadi,Selvi was encouraged to move on from her
past and trained tobecome a car driver. Since then, she has never lookedback. Fromsleeping in
hercar to carrying chilli powderfor protection,Selvi learned to manage in a male dominated field,
as she drove strangers around,within and out of thecity.
She also married again; this time ofherown choice. She calls it: my lovemarriage.
111If% --"-.5ervi,erroasf61'hilanthropy Week, 2014
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Stories Of Changele

26. Photo credit: Educate Girls
AI1 Key Players: St h ers involved in tackling child m age

27. Cases of Rukhmabai and Phulmoneedrew the government's
attention to the issue ofchild marraigein the 1880's
Key Players: Stakeholders involved in tackling child marriage
The issue of child marriage entered public discoursein India in the 19th century throughtwo
landmark cases that highlighted issues ofwomen's choice and consent in marriage. These werethe
cases of Rukhmabai in Maharashtra and Phulmonee in Bengal.
In 1884, 22year oldRukhmabairefused to consummate her marriage with herhusband, to whom
she wasmarried atthe ageof 11. Retained in her natal house tocomplete her education,
Rukhmabai soon realized the questionablecharacter of her husband and didnot wish toproceed
with the marriage. He on the other handwanted restitution of his conjugal rights, andfiled a case
against her demandingthem. Rukhmabai defied the court'sorder to return to her husband,
arguing that she would much rather go tojail than remainin an unwanted marriagethat was
solemnized at an age whenshe wasincapable of giving consent. While thecase ended in anout
of court settlement, it brought to the fore previouslyunheard issues of women's rights and choice
in marriage.
Rukhmabai's powerful demandfor her rights was in stark contrast to the case of Phulmonee, who
died of marital rape at the ageof 11. Thisaction was brought posthumously byhermother. In
1890, she filed a case against herson-in-law, HariMaiti, demanding justicefor the marital rape
and deathof her daughter.In arguing her case, she- asked thecourt to consider the imageof her
daughter lying in blood succumbingto theinjuries of forced intercourse. Since colonial laws
penalized marital rape onlyfor child brides of up to 10 years old,Hari Maiti was acquitted of
marital rape and murder, and chargedonly with "rash acts". However, thecase paved the wayfor
the argument againstthe "normal" and religiously sanctioned practiceof allowing intercourse
with child brides, oncethey attained puberty. Boththese cases exerted pressureon the
government, which raisedthe legal age for marriage andconsent to marry from 10 to12, inthe
last decade of the century.
Source: http://sonhaticom/excerpted/2207/
The role of government
Public discussionon the cases of Rukhmabai and Phulmonee first drew the government's
attention to theissue of child marriage. Subsequently,and particularly since the 1970s, the
government's response to child marriagehas generally involvedlegal reforms mainly focusedon
raising the age of consent and marriage. In 1994 it became a signatory to the UnitedNation's
`International Conference on Population and Development' Program of Action.' Subsequently,
the governmenthas made concerted efforts to introduce initiativessuch as conditional cash
transfers, and strengthen existing programs tohelp adolescent girls and their families delay
marriage and pregnancies.
Key Players: Stakeholders involved in tackling child marriage 0.

28. 0
Keygovernmentmilestonesintheefforttoaddresschildmarriage
GOIlaunchesKishoriShakbYojna
fornutritionaldevelopmentand
empowermentofadolescentgirls
GOIlaunchestheRashtriyaKishor
SwasthyaKaryakram(RKSK),a
programtoaddressthehealth&
developmentalneedsofthe243
millionadolescentsinIndia,based
onacontinuumofcareapproach
MinimumlegalageLegalageforGOIlaunchesApniBei7ApnaDhan,aconditionalGOIlaunchestheSABLAschemeto
formarriageraisedmarriageofgirlscashtransferthatcanbeclaimedonlyifthegirlimprovethehealth,nutritionand
from10to12yearsraisedto15remainsunmarriedtilltheageof18developmentstatusofadolescentgirls
18911929195019781994199720002006201120132014
Agenda
ChildMarriageRestraintAct(CMRA)
broughtintoforce,raisesminimumage
formarriageofgirlsto14
0Raisingtheageofmarriage
0Empoweringthegirl
Minimumlegalagefor
marriageofgirlsraisedto18,
thatstillstandstoday
GOIlaunchesBalikaSamridhiYojna,a
conditionalcashtransferaimedat
enrollingandretaininggirlsinschool
GOIdraftstheNationalStrategyFor
PreventionOfChildMarriage,a
guidingdocumentforstatestotackle
childmarriage
Adolescenthealthbecomesa
keyobjectiveintheNational
RuralHealthMission
GOIlaunchestheRMNCH+Astrategy
thatpromotesadolescenthealthcare
andacknowledgesearlymarriageasa
healthrisknotonlytoyounggirlsbut
alsototheirchildren.
CMRAreplacedbythemore
progressiveProhibitionofChild
MarriageAct(PCMA)

29. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA)
The ChildMarriage Restraint Act(CMRA) of 1929 was framed and campaigned for by women's
organizations throughout India. Thesegroups not onlydemanded that the legal agefor marriage
be raised, but also the impositionof punishments on those who break the law.'At the time,civil
society played an important role in helping thegovernment to betterunderstand this complex
issue, andto frameits own thinking and actions in the absence of any international dialogue. The
CMRA wasamended twice,in 1950 and 1978,increasing the minimumlegal ageof marriage for
girls to 15 years andthen finally to18 years. Finally,in 2005 it was replaced by the more
progressive Prohibition ofChild Marriage Act (PCMA) 2006.36
Snapshot: The Prohibition of Child MarriageAct (PCMA), 2006
The PCMAdeclares child marriagea serious and non-bailable offence. Girls below 18 years of
age and boysbelow 21 years areconsidered childrenunder the Act.
To implement the law, each district is required toappoint a Child Marriage Prohibition Officer
(CMPO). CMPOs areempowered to "interveneand file petitions" before and after a child
marriage takes place. They areresponsible for taking the requiredsteps to prevent theoccurrence
of child marriagesin their district, and to ensure that those who break the laware prosecuted.
Courts havepower to issue injunctions to prohibitchild marriages from takingplace. Ifa
marriage goes aheadit is considered null andvoid, as it is when a child is taken from his or her
parents through illegal means,deceit, force or is sold or trafficked for marriage.
The lawenables both groomsand brides to seek the annulment ofa marriage conductedin
childhood within twoyears of becoming adults, orearlier, with thehelp of their guardians. Once
a child marriageis annulled, theAct requiresthe provision of maintenance and accommodation
for thegirl by her husbandand/or in-laws untilshe remarries. Children bornof an annulled child
marriage are deemed legal and their custody is decided based on the children'sbest interests.
The lawdecrees imprisonment ofup totwo years and/or a fine of up to INR 100,000 ($1,660)
for performing, conducting, abetting, promotingor permitting a child marriage.Those
punishable includean adult male marrying a child, as well as parents and guardians, and any
other person or organization (example, the police)that allows or facilitatesa child marriage.
Female offenders may be fined but cannotbe imprisoned. Any personcan report a child
marriage before orafter it has occurred, and anyperson with personal or reliableinformation
of an impending child marriagecan file a complaint.
Source: http://www.uniceforg/india/Child Marriage handbook.pdf
The new law on child marriage clearly representsa crucial milestone in the government's
response to thepractice, not onlydue to its greater emphasis on prevention and prosecution but
more importantly because of its focus on child protection. However, severaloperational problems
exist that must be addressed if the Act is to protectchildren properly:
Over-reliance on community.' Currently, thelaw relieson the community to notify authorities of
impending child marriages. However,community members are often strongly discouragedfrom
taking actiongiven the importanceattached to marriage in most Indiancommunities, and the
legal and financial repercussionsfor the girl's family.The thought of subjectinga girl to the
stigma of a broken marriagefurther reduces the motivation for communitymembers to report
an impending marriage."'
Lack of CMPOs: Only 15 out of 28 states have appointed CMPOs. Most often, the responsibility
for enforcing theAct becomesthat ofthe district collector, who does not regard its
implementation as a major priority."'
Key Players: Stakeholders involvedin tackling child marriage

30. Police under community pressure.' Police andother officials are bribable and more commonly
are subject to pressure from thecommunity to turna blind eye onchild marriage.Where
officials report a child marriage,communities have been known to retaliate with violence,
intimidating those who mightotherwise have notified theauthorities.'
In 2005, Shakuntala Varma, a supervisor under theIntegrated Child
Development Services (ICDS), intervened to stopa child marriage,and was
consequently threatened and attacked by various people resultingin her
hands beingseverely injured.
Source: http://www.unicef.org/india/ Child_Marriage_handbook.pdf
Misplaced responsibilities.' The Act places responsibility on the minors concernedto seek the
annulment ofa wedding within twoyears of theirreaching maturity,either in person or
through their guardians-the very people who sanctioned their marriages in the firstplace.
Although the firstchild marriageannulment in India occurred in 2012, it willbe a long and
difficult task to ensure that all minors are sufficiently empowered todemand the annulments
of their own child marriagesifthey so wish.'
Photo credit: Sahayog India
111
Key Players: Stakeholders involvedin tackling child marriage

31. Deconstructing the government's effortsto tackle child marriage
Central Government
Policy
0 The draft NationalStrategy For Prevention OfChild Marriage recognizes child marriageas a key obstacle to
achieving Millenium DevelopmentGoals (MDGs);promotes local action, partnershipsand evidence
building; the recently launchedRMNCH+A strategy provides comprehensiveand integrated healthservices
which serve as a strong framework under which early marriageand pregnancy can beaddressed
A India declined to co-sponsortheglobal resolution against child, earlyand forced marriages,led bythe UN
Human Rights Council
Prohibition of Child Marriage Act
(PCMA)
Ministry ofLaw and Justice
Declares child marriageas a serious and
non-bailable offence,places greater
emphasis on prevention, prosecution
and childrights
Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT)
Ministry ofWomen and Child
Development
Kishori Shakti Yojana: health, nutrition,
development
Balika Samriddhi: enrollment and
retention ofgirls in schools
00Programs
Ministry ofWomen and ChildDevelopment
Ministry ofHealth and FamilyWelfare
Ministry ofHuman Resource Development
SABLA: health, nutrition, life skills,education
Adolescent Reproductiveand SexualHealth
(ARSH) hasbeen madea key objective in the
National Rural Health Mission
RKSK addresses the health and developmental
needs of the243 million adolescents in India
based ona continuum ofcare approach
KasturbaGandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV):
residential schoolsfor upper primarygirls from
marginalized backgrounds
State Government
Prohibition ofChild Marriage Act(PCMA)
State governments are required to appoint
Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs)
and to frame rules.
So far 21 States haveframed their rules and
15 haveappointed ProhibitionOfficer- no
information is available on whether these are
newly appointed or additional responsibilities
given to existingofficers
coConditional Cash Transfers
State governments have put in placetheir
own directand indirect conditionalcash
transfer schemes for girls
Direct: cash incentive ifthe girl marriesat or
after 18 (Sahayog, in Rajasthan)
Indirect: cash incentive for various
milestones suchas birth registration,
enrollment in school, delayed marriage
Impact on the ground
Under reporting ofchild marriage cases:
In 2010 only111 caseswere reported of
which 11 were convicted
Onus is on the minors or guardians to
annul the marriage
Thefirst child marriage was annulled
in 2012
Impact assessment ofthe earliestCCT
Apni BetiApna Dhanis underway to
studythe impacton the first cohort of
beneficiaries, who turned 18 in2012
,a1 While most programsare recent, experts
`11F suggest thatthe SABLA scheme is having the
desired impact, due to effectiveuse of existing
government machineryand its emphasis on
interdepartmental convergence
Key Players: Stakeholders involved in tackling child marriage fa

32. Apart from updating thelaw to increase the legal ageof marriage as well as to protect therights
of girls, the government has undertaken two separate initiatives to reinforceits commitment to
girls' empowerment, education, reproductive rights, and gender equality:
(a) Conditional cash transfer schemes
(b) Health and development programs
Conditional cash transfer schemes
In the 1990s, the governmentlaunched variousconditional cash transfer schemes (CCTs) that
sought to delay early marriages.Some were directly linked to child marriage.For example, in
several stateswhere such marriages are widespread, parentsare offered a cash incentive to marry
their daughters after thelegal ageis attained. The Sahyog Schemein Rajasthan provides familiesof
backward castes with INR 5,000 ($ 84) if the girl marries betweenthe ages of 18-21, andINR
10,000 ($167)if she marries after the age of 21. The scheme covers up to two daughters in a family.
Other CCTs such as the ApniBetiApna Dhan (ABAD) schemeand the Balika Samriddhi Yojna (BSY)
seek to address child marriage moreindirectly. These seekto alter parents' behavior towardstheir
daughters by incentivizing them toensure their welfare throughout theirentire childhood.
Typically, in order to receive these cash incentives, parents must ensure birthsare registered, early
immunization programs are completed, children are enrolled (and sometimes retained)in school,
and that marriages takeplace only after the age of 18.
Prerna
In an attempt to encourage positivebehavior change, GOI launched the conditionalcash transfer
scheme Prerna for BPL couples who have "broken the stereotypeof early marriage, ea
childbirth and repeated childbirth and have helped changethe mindsets of the community".To
avail itsincentive, thegirl shouldhave married after 19 and the boy after 21 years of age. Their
first child shouldbe born only aftertwo years of marriage. On meeting this condition, the couple
receives INR 10,000 for a boy and INR 12,000 for a girl child.An additional incentiveof INR 5,000
(boy child)and INR 7,000 (girl child) is provided if the couple ensuresa gap of three or moreyears
between their first two children, and if either parent voluntarily accepts a permanent methodof
family planning within a year of having their second child. The schemeis currently running in
seven states of the countryand has spent about INR 72 lakhs (USD 120,000) between 2010and
November 2013.
Source: http://www.jsk.gov.in/PrernaStrategy.pdf
Experts interviewed by Dasrareported that whileCCTs may have a role to play in the absence of
other positive interventions, theyalone cannot address the problem.' Despite considerable
political willsupporting this modelof intervention, the extentto which CCTs help delay marriage
will only become apparentin the near future. An impact assessment is under way to study the first
round of ApniBeti ApnaDhan schemebeneficiaries, who turned18 in 2012." Experts believe
these measureswill be successful, atleast in the short-term, but willneed to be supported by
further measures designedto change behavior ifthey are to have anylong-term impact.'
0 Key Players: Stakeholders involvedin tackling child marriage

33. Programs for health, education andempowerment of adolescent girls
Most programsimplemented by the government toaddress child marriagehave focused on
mitigating the negative health effectsof this practiceon young girls and their children. Whilesome
adolescent girl health programslike the Kishori Shakti Yojna did include an empowerment
component, minimalemphasis was placed onit untilthe launch of theRajiv Gandhi Schemefor
Empowerment of Adolescent Girls, known as the SABLA scheme.
Implemented through the Ministryof Health and FamilyWelfare's ICDS machinery, SABLA targets
girls aged 11-18 in 200 districts ofIndia. It focuses on improving nutritionand empowering
adolescent girls. It comprises a range of activities from promotingawareness of adolescent
reproductive and sexualhealth, nutrition and child care, to enablinggirls to access opportunities
for vocational trainingand support in returning to school. While theSABLA scheme is still fairly
new, experts interviewed by Dasrafelt it had succeeded in drawing girls into safe spacesfor
learning and exploring opportunities. In doing so, they had become more exposedto alternatives
to marriage, and could access peer support necessary to stand up to theirparents. Experts suggest
that effective use of existing government machinery, such as ICDS,and collaboration between
government departments, partlyexplain the successful implementation of the program."'
The government has a major role to play in addressing child marriage,given its sustainability,
resources and ability to scale effective interventions.There is a growing consensus of opinion in the
development sector that non-profitorganizations should work alongside thegovernment tohold
it accountable,shape itsthinking, and helpit implement its lawsand programs more effectively.
The role of private foundations
So far, international private foundations have beenthe most important stakeholders in the child
marriage sector. By funding non-profit organizations, they have enabled theincubation of new
models of interventionto tackle child marriageand have sustained and scaled successful
initiatives. The four key private foundations in the child marriagesector are: the MacArthur
Foundation, which pioneeredsupport fromprivate foundations foragencies dealing with child
marriage in India; the Ford Foundation; the Packard Foundation; and the KendedaFund.
Between 2011 and 2013,these four committed$17.06 million to child marriageprogramming in
India, andallocated a further $33.16 millionin multi-country grants, ofwhich India's exact share
is unknown.43These funds were directed towardsa wide range of activities includingresearch,
advocacy, capacity buildingand technical assistance, network-building, influencingpolicy,
monitoring and evaluation, grant-making,and promoting education and livelihoods for girls.
The Kendeda Fund
Regarding funding devoted solely to Indian projects,the Kendeda Fund,the sector's most recent
entrant, has committed USD 15.3 million, representing90% of total spending. It became involved
in funding child marriageissues through its newly founded girls' rightsportfolio, in August 2013.4'
Before committing funds to campaigning against childmarriage, the Kendeda Fundfinanced
environment sustainabilityissues in the US. Having only recentlybegun to participatein the
sector's concerns, the fundhas partnered with the internatnon-profit
organization American Jewish World Service (AJWS) to provide grantsto India. Currently, AJWS
funds 18 grassroots organizations across Indiathat work to empowergirls and "hasten theend of
child marriage" by addressing underlying social andeconomic causes. Significantly, the Kendeda
Fund is one of only a few funding organizationsthat make unrestricted grants to small non-profit
organizations.' This fact alongwith the amount offunds it has available, makes the Kendeda Fund
a significant entrant forIndia's childmarraige sector. Its entry not onlyholds potential for
innovative interventionson the ground, butalso for promoting institutional development of
grassroots organizations.
Key Players: Stakeholders involvedin tackling child marriage0

34. 32 Key Players: Stakeholders involved in tackling child marriage
While open to funding experimental intervenƟons to address child marriage, private foundaƟons
also accord significant priority to their grantees’ monitoring and evaluaƟon (M&E) processes. This
is oŌen a challenge for non profits dealing especially with longitudinal change. Realizing this
characterisƟc of their work, private foundaƟons increasingly encourage their grantees to develop
M&E systems well-suited to their pace of change, measuring progress rather than final impact. This
is essenƟal for non profits to know how they could improve, as well as to beƩer represent their work
in an increasingly compeƟƟve and growing non-profit sector.50
The role of mulƟlateral and bilateral donors
To date, UNICEF and UNFPA have been the main parƟcipants in this category.
UNICEF began to focus on child marriage with the passage of the United NaƟons Child Rights
ConvenƟon in 1989, which mandated governments to accord a high priority to child protecƟon
issues. As part of its efforts to address child marriage, UNICEF works very closely both with the
government and grassroots organizaƟons. While providing financial support to organizaƟons,
UNICEF’s biggest contribuƟon is the technical support it provides to governments and
non-profit organizaƟons to facilitate “a change in social norms and behaviors while also
promoƟng insƟtuƟonal capacity and law enforcement.” 51
Pivotal to UNICEF’s strategy for
addressing child marriage is its engagement with grassroots stakeholders. It aƩaches
considerable importance to engaging community and family decision-makers, promoƟng
educaƟon for girls, and ensuring effecƟve behavior change communicaƟon.
Girls Not Brides is a global partnership of more than 300 civil society organizaƟons from over 50
countries, commiƩed to ending child marriage. Formally iniƟated in 2011, Girls Not Brides
empowers those seeking to end child marriage by encouraging them to learn from each other’s
experiences and successes; mobilizing policy, financial and program support to end child marriage;
raising awareness of the harmful impact of this pracƟce as well as of potenƟal soluƟons by
encouraging open and informed discussion at the local, naƟonal and internaƟonal levels.
DirecƟon-seƫng is a crucial role oŌen played by private sector funders. Among mulƟ-country
grants menƟoned earlier, Ford FoundaƟon made the most recent and significant global
commitment of USD 25 million to ensure greater "visibility, resources and grounded soluƟons" to
the problem of child marriage, while also providing "real alternaƟves for girls and communiƟes".
The FoundaƟon leverages its relaƟonships with the funder community, governments, and
internaƟonal networks such as Girls Not Brides to increase commitments to address child
marriage and to highlight the soluƟons that are being found. Its aim is to eliminate the pracƟce
within a generaƟon.
Girls Not Brides
Photo credit : Sarathi
Source: Personal CommunicaƟon with Lakshmi Sundaram, Girls Not Brides, 2014

35. USAID
USAID focuses on early marriagein India, within its broader focus on Adolescent Reproductive
and Sexual health. On the one hand itfunds state level programs such as UDAAN in Uttarakhand
and Saloni Swasth KishoriYojana in Uttar Pradesh, to address the issue through behavior change
communication, in-school interventions, deliveryof health services for married and unmarried
adolescents, as well as formation ofpeer networks.It also funds capacity building activitiesto
ensure adequate execution oftheseprograms. On the other hand, USAID is investing in evidence
building by funding the evaluationof the nationalscheme, Apni Beti ApnaDhan, that seeks to
delay marriagefor girls across the country through conditionalcash transfers. USAID is likely to
become a lot more influentialin the child marriagespace internationally given the recentpassing
of the ViolenceAgainst Women ReauthorizationAct, 2013which mandates inclusionof child
marriage in its focus on international development.
Source: PersonalCommunication withUSAID, 2014
While UNFPA is relatively new to thechild marriagesector in India, ithas already become the
agency responsible for managing efforts toaddress the problemof sex selection - yet another
manifestation of the low value accordedto daughters in several parts of India. Leveragingits
understanding of gender constructs,UNFPA addresses childmarriage indirectly by responding
to the problem'scausal factors - high vulnerability and limited opportunities. In contrast to
UNICEF's emphasis on community engagement, UNFPA is increasingly focusedon upstream
policy work.
There is a growing recognitionamong stakeholdersthat the underlyingcauses of child marriage
are gendered normsand patriarchal mindsets,and that these need to be addressed if the issue is
to be dealt with effectively. This has ledto an increasing consensusthat the community is central
to change, andthat it mustbe involved in any response to child marriageif efforts totackle the
issue areto have any lasting impact.
The role of international and national non-profit organizations
International non-profitorganizations, such as CARE, Action Aid and Savethe Children, play a
variety ofroles in the fight against child marriage.Their most significantcontribution is their work
in global level advocacy,to leverage long-standing networksand build new strategic alliances.
Through their networks and campaigning, these organizations mobilize greatervisibility and
support for theissue, helping to build a sector aroundchild marriagewhere responses are less
fragmented and more complimentary. They also invest in research and evidence building, which
in turn forms thebasis for their advocacy bothinternationally and in specific countries.
Organizations such as Action Aid andAJWS contribute tothe field through sub-grants tolocal
non-profit organizations, and by building their capacities.
National non-profit organizations work effectively with the government todevelop policy
frameworks, building capacityofgovernment officials and mobilizing community support through
grassroots outreach work.For example, the Indian non-profit organization MAMTA was consulted
Key Players: Stakeholders involved in tackling child marriage

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to help devisethe draft National Strategyfor Prevention of Child Marriage, due to its experience
and expertise in addressing adolescent issues. It hasalso recently begun capacity building
initiatives with districtand localgovernment officials to tackle child marriage.Breakthrough ran
a pilot project tomobilize community supportagainst early marriagein three high prevalence
districts of Bihar and Jharkhand. It convenes community members to discuss child marriage,and
in particular, its adverse effects on their girls' rights, includingtheir education and health. The
highlight of this campaign is its focus on engaging men andboys, particularly thelatter, so it can
help them become agentsfor change and challenge traditional norms aboutthe role and valueof
girls. In addition toits youth leadership program, Breakthroughalso uses national mass media
and street theatre toengage communities on the issue.'
The role of academic and research institutions
Research is critical to solving any problem effectively.Policy makers andpractitioners need a
rigorous understandingof the issue, its causes andimpact, and recommended action
strategies.'' They also require an understanding of 'what works' in tackling child marriageand
any gapsin implementation.' International institutionssuch as the International Center for
Research onWomen (ICRW), CARE, Plan International and the Population Council all carry
out research on child marriage. Theyuse it to strengthen the evidencebase andas an advocacy
tool todelay marriage at national and international meetings.
In addition to generatingresearch and evidence, academicand researchinstitutions also offer
monitoring and evaluation support to non-profitorganizations and government programs that
often lack the necessary in-house capacity. For example, ICRW is conducting a five-year impact
analysis of the central government's ApniBeti ApnaDhan Scheme,which was the first touse
conditional cash incentives to delay marriage in India. On the other hand, the PopulationCouncil
is working withUN agencies to developa generic framework to monitorthe transformation and
impact of child marriage programs.Given the multi-layered natureof the issue andthe challenges
involved in assessing change, this framework represents a significant contribution to thechild
marriage sector in India.
Although monitoring and evaluation support is provided by some academic and research
institutions in India, these are neither accessible nor affordable for most non-profit organizations
operating in this sector. Expertsinterviewed by Dasrastress the need to build this skillset in more
academic institutions so that even grassroots non-profits, withsmall budgets, can afford quality
monitoring and evaluation support, to bringmore credibility to theirwork.'
0 Key Players: Stakeholders involvedin tackling child marriage

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The non-profit organization, Vikalp, organized the "our daughters'rights" campaign to advocate against child marriage and
promote education forgirls, inover 40 villages ofJodhp.ur district. The campaign ensured 'buyin' of key government officials who
launchedthe campaign in each visited.village..The campaign targeted students from multiple schools.
The role of the media
Child marriage is a grassroots problem, most prevalent among ruraland illiterate populations that
often rely on verbal means to communicate knowledgeand entertainment. It is therefore
incumbent on localmedia to highlight positive role models that challenge the norm of child
marriage, rather than spreading sensational news involving the elopementor rape of young
unmarried girls. Exceptionally, the primetime soap opera, Balika Vadhu, ran counter to the
media's usual coverage by not onlyportraying the dire effectsof child marriageand the
socio-economic factors that promote it, but more importantly, summarizingthe lesson learnt
from each episode, to ensure the message wastransmitted clearly and effectively to its intended
audience. Despite its strong social messaging,the soap has been a success. This clearly shows
there is a huge market for positive messagingon child marriageand itsunderlying causes.
Key takeaways
The government's response to child marriage has predominantly involved legal reforms
that have focused on increasing the age of marriage. Since the mid-1990s, it has made
concerted efforts to introduce initiativessuch as conditional cash transfers, and to
strengthen existing programsto supportadolescent girls and their families in delaying
marriage and pregnancies.
Private foundations such as Ford, MacArthur, and Packard haveplayed a vital role in
promoting the issue of child marriageas a social ill,and funded non-profit organizations to
address the problem on the ground. Most recently, theKendeda Fund has been the largest
source of finance, having committed USD 15.3 million to theissue of child marriage in India
during 2013.
Academic and research institutions such as ICRW and Population Councilhave been
instrumental in providing crucial evidence of the extent of the problemand how to tackle
it. Thisis critical in helping understand 'what works, and can be usedas advocacy tools to
influence policy and practice on the ground.
The media is a powerful tool throughwhich norms and beliefs about child marriagecan be
challenged. Local soap operas have done so byhighlighting the harmfuleffects of child
marriage on girls and promoting positive girl role models.
Key Players: Stakeholders involved in tacklingchild marriage le

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Amarriedgirlat6,ahouseholderat13,amotherat15andtoday,astudentofGeneralNurse
MidwiferyinBikanercity.Maghineverattendedregularschoolalthoughsheattendedabalika
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heroldersister;leadingtoarevisionoftheminimumeligibleageforthesecamps.Herexperience
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ofseveralothergirlslikeherself.Thisexposurebecameherbackbonethroughallthehardships
shefacedduringherlife.Soonaftershewastakentoherhusband'shouse,Maghirealizedthat
pursuinghereducationwouldbeastruggle.Thisrealizationmadeherillandshewassentbackto
hernatalhometorecover.Maghiclinchedthisopportunitytotakeherclass10examinationand
cleareditwithdistinction.Thiswastobeoneofthemanyopportunitiessheseizeddespite
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confidencetoaddressthisoppositionandconverttohersideallthosewhoonceopposedher.
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*Balikashivir:Nonformalschoolsforgirls,previouslyrunbyUrmulTrusttoprovidebridgecoursestoschooldropouts.
StoriesOfChange

41. Priorities For Action: Cornerstones for addressing child marriage
In recent decades, the government,development agencies and non-profit organizations have
made significant effortsto end the practice of child marriagein India. Decreasingchild marriage
rates indicate that these combined measures have been effective. Increased and sustained
investment will onlyhelp further drive downthe rates of child marriagein the country.
Given the multi-faceted natureof the phenomenon,addressing child marriage requiresa
comprehensive strategy targetingdifferent issues andstakeholders, throughout the life of a minor
girl, whether or notshe is married. Moreover, considering the ramificationsof child marriage for
many development sectors, multiple entrypoints can beaccessed to further efforts to eliminate
the practice.
Based onevidence sourcedfrom Indian and international literature,as well as through expert
consultations, Dasra hasidentified fourkey priority ways of preventing child marriageand
reducing its negative consequences:
1. Creating alternate life options forgirls
2. Identifying and sensitizing gatekeepers
3. Promoting birthand marriage registration
4. Addressing the needs of adolescent brides
F
11.
Pziorrtes For g,ton: Cornerstones for,addressing child marriage

42. Dasraanalysisbasedonexpertinterviewsandsecondaryresearch
A
Pre-marriageLowsocialvalueattachedtothegirl-child
Urgencytomarrythedaughterassoonaspossible
Beliefthatthegirlisparayadhanorwealthofherfuture
maritalfamily
Traditionalgenderroles:agirl'sroleistotakecareofchildren
andhousehold
Investingingirls'educationisthereforenotconsidered
worthy
Concernsaboutgirl'ssafetyandvirginity
Dowryratesarelowerforyoungergirls
Peerpressurefromthecommunity
Poorparentalknowledgepertainingtonegativehealth
consequencesofearlymarriageandchildbearing
AtmarriageInabilitytostopchildmarriagesDifficulttodetermineageofcoupleintheabsenceofageproof
Reluctanceofcommunitytoreportmarriage
Religiousandcommunityleaderscondonechildmarriage
Lawenforcementofficersarereluctanttotakeactionasthey
arepartofthecommunity
Mostmarriagestakeplaceinprivate
Girllacksagencytostopmarriage
Post-marriageEarlyandmultiplepregnancies
Domesticviolence
Educationdiscontinued
Needtoprovefertility
Lackofsexualandreproductiveknowledge
Girllacksagencytomakechoices
Cornerstonesforaddressing
childmarriage
Creatingalternate
lifeoptions
forgirls
Identifying
and
sensitizing
gatekeepers
Promotingbirth
andmarriage
registrations
Addressingthe
needsof
adolescent
brides

43. "It is useless to talk about prevention of child marriageif the girlshave
no alternative options for education and livelihood, and will continue to
be seen as their parents' liability and burden."
- Panchali Saha, Child Welfare Committee,WestBengal
Creating alternate life options for girls
48% of girls aged 20-24 in rural areas and 29%of girls in urban India marry under theage of 18.57
While marriageremains pivotalto patriarchalcommunities across India, itis considered far more
central to thelives of girls in rural communities. Limited exposure to alternativeways of thinking
that challenge stereotypesand the lack ofopportunities in their immediate surroundings,provide
rural communities with minimal impetus toconsider different alternatives fordaughters.
Evidence from research and other programs suggests that exposureto the alternative potential
of daughters, outside the household,often helps decision-makers to advocatefor change.'For
example, if a girl is doing well in secondary school, a mother may seekto persuade the rest of her
family that she should remainin the educationsystem, and pursue an alternative life for herself.
Enabling aspirational thinking among girls and their families, as well as offering themsafe spaces
to explore alternative options,is increasingly beingacknowledged by donors, non-profit
organizations and government agencies as a powerful strategy to delay marriage.''
Beginning with education
Both Sri Lanka and the state of Kerala in India have a
relatively high age of marriage.' They also have
something else in common that has contributed to
this phenomenon: bothhave given high priority to
education. Schooling, particularly at secondary level,
remains the single most important predictorof age
at marriage.According to a study by ICRW, girls
engaged in secondary educationare 70%less likely
than their uneducated counterparts to marry early.'
They will also probably delay childbearing, space pregnancies, and raisehealthier and better-
educated children.It is therefore critical to both enrolland retain girlsin school, especially post-
puberty, and ensure that they are allowed to learn andgrow beyondtheir traditional roles.
In developing countries,seven or more years of
education delays a girl's marriage by four years.
Moreover, each successiveyear of secondary
schooling increases thegirl's likelihoodof being
employed, boosting her earningpotential by 15-25%.
Source: www.girlsnotbrides.org
Schooling protects against marriagefor at leasttwo reasons. Simply beingin school helps ensure
girls continue tobe regarded as children, and therefore not marriageable. Outsideof the home,
schools can be seen as safe spacesfor girls. Consequently, as it becomes a socially acceptable
alternative, school attendance helps change normsabout earlymarriage. Additionally, schooling
helps girlsdevelop social networks and acquire skills andinformation. This not onlyexposes them
to other optionsbeyond their own households butalso contributes to their ability to pursue those
opportunities. Each successive year of secondary schooling increases the girl's chancesof being
employed, boostingher earning potentialby 15-25%."
School enrollment in Malawi reduces probability of early marriage andpregnancy
In Malawi, a southeastern countryin Africa, the effects of a small cash transfer toparents on
re-enrolment of their daughters, was significant. Not only did the enrollment increase by 2.5 times
a year afterthe program's introduction, the probabilityof marriagedeclinedby over 40% andthat
of pregnancy by 30%.
Source: http://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/book/10.1596/1813-9450-5089
Priorities For Action: Cornerstonesfor addressing childmarriage 0

44. Leading to employment
The empowering effecton women of engagement in paid work is well documented in several
studies.' Therefore, toreduce the incidence ofchild marriage, socially valuedroles for women
must expand beyond thoseof being a wife and mother. Broadeningopportunities for women to
include employment also makesit meaningfulfor parents to invest in a girl's education. A study
conducted by the non-profit organization MAMTA revealed that 97% of family members
surveyed - elders, parents,brothers - considered 'employment opportunities' tobe the most
promising strategyto delay marriagefor their daughters.
In Bangladesh, youngwomen's entryinto theexport garment industryhas
boosted their value in the eyes of their familiesand potential husbands.
Despite long working hours, most garment workerscan negotiate some
autonomy with theirown families as a result of earning. Later on, their
experience of financial self-reliancegives them greater confidenceas wives.
Source: www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/ digestle.pdf
According to a South Asian study undertakenby ICRWand Plan Asiato understandsuccessful
interventions in the child marriagesector, the promotion ofvocational and skill-based trainingfor
women was thought likely to have a positive impact for both unmarried and married women.For
the unmarried,it helpsto delay marriage.If the girl is engaged in paid work, her family tends to
delay her marriage,either because they rely on her income or becausethey are willing to wait
until they find a husband who is 'worthy' of their daughter. For the married,it acts to mitigate
some of the negative effectsof child marriage, givingthe girl a stronger positionin the marital
home, and reducing the likelihoodthat she will suffer domestic violence.
0 1
Priorities For Action: Cornerstones for addressingchild marriage

45. Clearly, the education toemployment continuumdoes not just offera corrective solution to
preventing child marriage butan enabling one that opens many newwindows of opportunity for
adolescent girls, allowing them toexplore and achieve their potential. While initiationof the
process requires certainminimum levels of support from the community,
transformation of girls through the continuumacts as a strong behaviorchange strategy,
weakening resistance by increasing demandfor this alternative trajectory.
Identifying and sensitizing gatekeepers
Most cases of positive changein relation to marriage involve gatekeepers, whose s
convictions and ability tostand their ground enables the girlto choose an alternative toearly
marriage, despite householdand community norms."
65
Examples include a father who
understands his role in protecting his daughter against the dangers of child marriage;a young
man who decides to challenge his sister's marriage;a grandmother, whohas experienced the
negative consequences herselfand decides not tolet her granddaughter encounter thesame; or
a community leader that leads by example. It is therefore critical to identifyand engagethose
gatekeepers who significantly influencea girl's life choices.
Fathers and brothers:Fathers, or other men in the family, often initiatemarriage arrangements
for theirdaughters, and take decisionsregarding when and whom the daughter willmarry. A
recent needs assessmentcommissioned by World Vision in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, to inform the
development of an intervention toengage fathers toend child marriage showedthat they play a
key role in ending child marriage.'Girls reported that sensitizing fathers to the health implications
of child marriageand the importanceof education is critical in helping them decide to delay their
daughters' marriage. Moreover, accordingto agencies such as DFID, UNFPAand USAID, it is
equally important to reach outto boys to encourage equitable gendernorms from a young age.
Priorities For Action: Cornerstonesfor addressing childmarriage

46. "I get a lot of offers and pressureto marry off my
daughter but I disagree, telling themthat my
daughter doesn'thave the capability to understand
what marriageis; moreover, she hasthe right to
decide where tomarry so when she will become
about 18 to 20 years thenwe will see."
- Father, District Bikaner, Rajasthan
Source: wwwicrw org/files/publicabons/Delaying-Marriage-for-Girls-
in-India-UNICEF-ICRWpdf
girls on average married at the age of 1
significant achievement."
This conditioning should cause them tobecome
agents of change within theircommunities as they
grow intotheir decision-making roles as brothers,
husbands and fathers.
Older women.' Women mustbe recognized as more
than victims or at-riskpersons. Since they are
closest to the problem, theyare in a position to
advance their daughters' and grand-daughters'
rights and well-being. For example, in southern
Senegal in West Africa,the openness of
grandmothers to questioning the tra
grew up with has been fundamental tothe World
Vision project's success. When itbegan in 2008,
5.6 years.By late 2010,this had increased to 17.5 years,a
Religious and community leaders.' Although a recent surveyby UNICEF, on violence against
children, does not directly examine the role of religion in perpetuating child marriage, it show
that the practice continues due to long standing culturalvalues and traditions. Religion often
underlies and informs thisbehavior.' Existing laws arefrequently poorly enforcedor superseded
by customary and religious laws in India. To ensure that these customsare not used as an excuse
for early marriage,it is crucial to mobilize religious heads andcommunity leaders in panchayats to
oppose the practice of child marriage.For example, non-profit organization Jan Jagran Santhan
and Action Against Traffickingand Sexual Exploitation ofChildren (ATSEC) formed the Inter
Religious Priest Forum(IRPF) inBihar that broughttogetherreligious leaders from multiplefaiths,
to delivermessaging againsttrafficking and child marriageto their respective followers. Members
of the forumalso act as catalysts of change, regularly meetingother leaders of theirrespective
faiths to sensitize them and build a network for reporting potentialchild marriagesto the forum.
Where sensitization has not reached or impacted, IRPF members act as a pressure group,denying
ceremonial/ritualistic approval to child marriage and ensuring priestsdo the same. Having been
acknowledged as a high potential strategy to promote behaviorchange within the communityby
UN agencies and the government,it is being adapted by several non-profit organizations within
the countryand the region.
The impact of social sanctions againstchild marriageis best demonstrated by the panchayat of
the Vattamuthampattivillage in Tamil Nadu. Efforts undertaken by panchayat leaders have
included enforcing resolutions,engaging with parents, and empowering adolescents in schools.
Their concerted effortshave ledto thevillage being declaredfree of child marriage,a year after
it banned thepractice.'
Panchayatsmove to end child marriage in Maharashtra
88 panchayats in the Vidarbha region of eastern Maharashtrahave resolved to ban child marriage
in their villages. Theimpact has been immediate, with 18 families cancelling the weddingsof their
minor daughters in the first month.The state government had launched a child rightsand
protection movementin the area in association with UNICEF and localnon-profit organizations. The
campaign to end childmarriage gainedmomentum withinthis larger movement. "The numberof
girls married off at 15 or 16 years of age is too high. In some communities, it is a common practice
even when thegirl is 13 or 14 years old," said a government officerattached to theChild and
Welfare department.
Milind Joshi, the sarpanch(head of the panchayat)of Tarnoli villagesaid hispanchayat has
decided to take action if the resolutionwas not followed, adding, "We willbe following the
community closely. Violators willbe booked under the provisionsof theAct."
Source: www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mumboi/88-panchayats-move-to-end-child-marriage-in-yavatmal
/article1-1015458. aspx
Priorities For Action: Cornerstonesfor addressingchild marriage

47. 59% of all births remain unregistered
in India.
Promoting birth and marriage registration
Birth registration is a child's first fundamentalright.
It ensures that the child is given an identity at birth
and regarded as part ofsociety. Birthregistration is
vital tosecure the recognitionof every person
before the law, to safeguard the protection ofhis or
her rights, and to ensure that any violation of those
rights does not go unpunished.
Indian law requires that all new-born childrenbe
registered within 21 daysof birth. However, as per
the Countdown to2015, 59% of Indian births remain unregistered.' In the contextof addressing
the issue of child marriage,ensuring parents registerbirths is important in helping to preventthe
practice and ensure the girl-childand her family can access various welfareschemes.
Electronic birth registrationis regularly citedas an
effective tool to prevent early main
Bangladesh, Niger andSomaliland. Women
repeatedly emphasized theimportance of proof of
age as a means of delaying marriage, wherecivil law
includes an age of consent.
Source: www worldyision org/resources nsf/main/press-reports/$file/
Untying-the-Knot report pdf
Birth registration provides proof of age. Using suchinformation, underage marriagescan be
identified and halted and those abettingthem punished. In rural areas where birth certificatesare
often non-existent or not properlyrecorded, many parents resort to falsifying girls'ages. In
Bangladesh, for example, stakeholders rangingfrom religious leadersto parents and district
officials emphasizethat the lack of birth registrationenables the age of girls and boysaboutto be
married tobe falsified easily, while those tasked with enforcing thelaw can more readilyturn a
blind eye.'
Proof of a child's age is a prerequisite not onlyfor the effective enforcement oflegislation, butto
establish its capacity to claim rights.While birthregistration does not by itself guarantee
education, health,protection or participation, it can help marginalized girls qualify for and avail
themselves ofthese fundamentalrights. For example, targeted government schemes require the
presentation ofa birth certificateas proof of age to enroll a girl-child for resulting benefits.Such
schemes, including Sarva ShikshaAbhiyan, guarantee free educationand conditional cash
transfers such as the Ladli Yojana andApni Beti Apna Dhan, which are intended toincrease the
social valueof the girl-child.
Apart fromusing birth registrations,some countries are alsoresorting to creative methods
including using marriage registrationsystems to provide young peoplewith reproductivehealth
information. In Mexico a statement is required froma doctor or social worker indicating that a
couple has discussed reproductive health mattersbefore a marriage license can beobtained.
Meanwhile, in Indonesia marriage counselorsfrom the Islamic marriage registrysystem have
themselves been trained as reproductive health educators.'
While providinglegal status to a marriage, marriageregistration also helpsyoung bridesto
enforce their marital rights, enabling them totake their husbands to courtshould they wanta
divorce, orto obtaina court order to protect themfrom violence in their own home. Moreover,
in the absence of proper birth registration,registering marriages providesanother opportunity
for girls to enter thesystem andbe counted as eligible for services connected with child birth,
family planningand other healthcare issues, and alsoaccess food and nutrition, employmentand
other opportunities.
Priorities For Action: Cornerstonesfor addressing childmarriage

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Mandated birthdates on wedding invitations helps to prevent child marriagesin Rajasthan
Child marriages are still widespread in the state of Rajasthan in India. To prevent them, thestate
government issued a directive in March 2013 requiring that the birthdates of the brideand
groom be printed on the weddinginvitations.
According to thegovernment directive, all printing press owners are required to view b
certificates providedby the familiesof the brideand groom beforeprinting wedding invitations.
If the owner finds that eitherthe brideor groom is not of legal agefor marriage, he must decline
the print orderand report the proposed wedding to the respectivedistrict administration.
Owners who disobey these orders willface arrest and six months imprisonment, and will also be
fined INR 1,000 ($18).
"Press owners have been askedto submit a copy of the invitation card for each wedding taking
place in the respective district administration. These wedding cards will be scannedand checked,"
the officer of the welfaredepartmentfor women and children said.
The project was launched on a pilot basis in the Bharatpurdistrict of the state in April 2013.
According to theofficer, "The resultswere great.About 50 child marriages wereprevented in the
past year. Now it has beenimplemented across the state."
Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/birthclates-on-wedding-invitations-to-prevent-child-marriages-361500.html
X
ASHISH Gram RachnaTrust (AGRT), a non-profit
organization based in Maharashtra, India provides
health education andassessments to adolescent
girls, including childbrides. Between 2003and2012
this program successfully delayed theage offirst
conception from 15.8 to 18 yearsamongst this
group ofyoung women.
Source: Personalcommunication withASHISH Gram RachnaTrust,
2013
Addressing the needs of adolescent brides
The median age of marriage in India has risen from
16.1 to only 16.8 yearsover thepast two decades.'
At the same time, the adolescent populationhas
been growing both in sheer numbers,and as a
proportion ofthe total population. Cu
adolescent population accounts for21% of India's
total population.'Thesenumbers will onlyincrease
as the country'slargest everyoung population is
projected to grow rapidly overat leastthe next 10
years. As the numberof married adolescentgirls
and boyscontinues toincrease, the need to reach
them withrelevant services becomesall the more
compelling. Child brides have been andcontinue tobe anunderserved populationin the fight to
end child marriage. Whilethe importance of preventing thepractice cannot be underestimated,
in countries such as India where it is culturally engrained, efforts seeking to end it often require
considerable time togain political traction and socialacceptance. It is therefore crucial to
simultaneously address the uniqueneeds of child bridesto mitigate thenegative effectsof child
marriage, and to improveyoung women's healthand well-being.
(11) Priorities For Action: Cornerstonesfor addressingchild marriage