NEW DELHI: Despite India banning child marriages, over 1,000 such marriages were reported in the country in 2022; the maximum was from Karnataka, where a record 215 such marriages took place, according to the latest report released by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Thursday.
Karnataka is followed by Assam, where 163 child marriages, which is prohibited under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, took place out of the total of 1,002 such marriages in the country, the report said.
Karnataka and Assam are followed by Tamil Nadu, where 155 child marriages were reported in 2022.
The other states are West Bengal (121), Maharashtra (99), Telangana (53), Odisha (46), Haryana (37), Andhra Pradesh (26), Uttar Pradesh (17), Bihar (13), Jammu and Kashmir (2), and Delhi (1).
In India alone, an estimated 1.5 million girls under 18 are married annually, with nearly 16% of adolescent girls aged 15-19 currently married, the report said.
Despite a decrease in prevalence from 47% to 27% between 2005-2006 and 2015-2016, child marriage remains unacceptably prevalent.
"Child marriage, deeply rooted in social norms, starkly exemplifies pervasive gender inequality and discrimination, reflecting the devaluation of girls' human rights," the over 600-page report said.
Seeing the rise in child marriages, the child rights body developed a format of activities and asked for district-wise action-taken reports.
The NCPCR also asked the states to identify children who have dropped out, are out of school, or do not attend school regularly. They also asked authorities to map schools where children are absent without information.
The idea was to identify at-risk children and prevent their possible marriages. While 11,49,023 children were identified, 6,16,897 schools were mapped.
As many as 280,289 villages and blocks were targeted where awareness programmes were carried out.
The report said that child marriage constitutes a severe violation of children's rights, exposing them to heightened risks of violence, exploitation, and abuse.
While affecting both genders, girls are disproportionately impacted. It involves the marriage of individuals under the age of 18, encompassing both formal and informal unions where minors cohabit as if married, it said.
"Child marriage deprives children of their childhood and significantly infringes upon their rights to education, health, and protection, with far-reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities," the report added.
"Girls married as children encounter obstacles in education, financial independence, and community participation, facing increased risks of domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, and complications from early childbirth," it said and added that it has adverse economic effects and perpetuates intergenerational poverty cycles.
Early marriage hinders the acquisition of skills necessary to lift families out of poverty and contribute to national social and economic development.
Moreover, it imposes financial burdens on households due to early childbirth.
Insufficient resource allocation for addressing child marriage is partly due to the absence of a compelling economic rationale for its eradication.
"Girls, undervalued by prevailing norms, are often relegated to domestic roles in preparation for marriage, limiting their opportunities for personal development and growth," it added.
The research underscores the importance of delaying marriage, improving health and nutrition, supporting girls' transition to secondary education, and facilitating skill acquisition to empower adolescent girls.
The NCPCR Chairperson, Priyank Kanoongo, also wrote to state chief secretaries and highlighted that during this period, reporting of child marriages has increased, while the number of cases has shown a notable decline.
He said that in this regard, the Commission had been conducting review meetings focused on the prevention of child marriages for the past three years within the framework of competitive cooperative federalism, resulting in a significant impact, and had prepared a comprehensive report.
The letter, dated October 8, said that the Commission regularly engages with state and district authorities to ensure that measures under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA), are effectively implemented and enforced.
The report's findings and data from 596 districts spanning 27 states and seven union territories have been meticulously compiled. "This report will serve as a resource for further strengthening measures at the State level to prevent child marriages and protect children's rights," he said.
"The detailed district-wise report showcases preventive measures, awareness programs, and action taken by local authorities across the country to mitigate the practice of child marriage," the letter added.