
VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh has made significant progress in reducing child marriages over the past two decades but remains a high-burdened State.
A recent United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) report revealed that 29 per cent of women aged from 20 to 24 in Andhra Pradesh were married before the age of 18, placing the State sixth in the country for child marriage prevalence.
Though child marriages came down in the State from 60 per cent 25 years back to 50 per cent a decade ago to 30 percent now, Andhra Pradesh remains a high-burden State, with its child marriage rate surpassing the national average of 23 per cent.
NGOs, however, dispute the reported figures, arguing that unauthorised child marriages are being conducted at actual figures may be at least 10 times higher than the official data reported by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on which the UNICEF report is based.
The report highlights stark disparities within the State. Among women aged 20 to 24 married before 18, about 84 per cent come from rural areas, and the rate was significantly higher among those with little or no education.
Andhra Pradesh ranks fourth nationally in child marriage prevalence among women with no formal education and among rural residents, asserting the critical role of education and rural development in combating this issue.
Economic inequalities further contribute to the problem, with the State ranking ninth in child marriages among women from poor households. This underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to address the economic vulnerabilities that lead families to marry off their daughters early.
Child marriage percentage levels vary widely across India, with West Bengal (42), Bihar (41), and Tripura (40) reporting the highest prevalence. State’s 29 percent remains above the national average and far from Lakshadweep’s 1 per cent. India ranks fifth among eight South Asian countries for child marriage prevalence. The State’s progress so far can be attributed to improvements in female education, poverty reduction, and shifting gender norms.
Speaking to TNIE, Rammohan Nimmaraju, Secretary of HELP, an NGO, stressed the alarming gap between reported and actual child marriages.
He highlighted that although the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development reported in Parliament that there were only 110 child marriages in Andhra Pradesh between 2017 and 2020, the actual number could be ten times higher due to unauthorised ceremonies conducted by families. Nimmaraju also expressed concern over the government halting 1098 child helpline services supported by NGOs and transitioning operations to government control in 2022 , which he believes has contributed to the rise in child marriages for the past few years.
Rammohan explained the importance of coordinated efforts between the government, NGOs, and communities to combat child marriage and ensure Andhra Pradesh sets an example for other high-prevalence regions in the country.