BENGALURU: In all, 7,135 girls aged below 18 registered for antenatal care or pregnancy-related care in the past three years as per the state’s Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal, indicating the prevalence of child marriage in society.
Of them, 956 underwent abortions, 1,278 had caesarean delivery or C-sections, six experienced stillbirths, and four died due to pregnancy-related complications.
These figures barely scratch the surface as many cases go unreported. The system to report these cases has completely collapsed, according to experts.
Health officials, however, maintained that a proper system is in place to report minor pregnancy cases and that some girls turn 19 by the time they give birth. But child rights experts and doctors stated that most girls in these situations are anaemic, undernourished, and unfit to endure the severe physical strain of labour pain. Many are compelled to undergo C-sections, often influenced by doctors, who send them to private hospitals.
Activists stated that there are countless cases, where girls become pregnant for the second time before reaching 18, yet their age is falsely recorded as above 19. During the first pregnancy, they are listed as aged 19, and during the second as 21, while they are still under 18.
‘Most authorities refuse to take action unless an FIR is filed’
Activists stated that there are countless cases, where girls become pregnant for the second time before reaching 18, yet their age is falsely recorded as above 19. During the first pregnancy, they are listed as aged 19, and during the second as 21, while they are still under 18.
“This is not only a clear evidence of systematic data manipulation, but also a blatant case of dereliction of duty by health officials,” Vasudev Sharma, executive director, Child Rights Trust, said, blaming child marriage prohibition officers (CMPOs) in the state for it.
Child and women’s rights activists said that in most cases, deputy commissioners, tahsildars, and officials from the Women and Child Development Department, who are designated as CMPOs, refuse to take action unless an FIR is filed.
Sharma said at the school-level, teachers and principals should monitor. School transfer certificates should not be issued in such cases. The cases should be pursued until conviction, he added.
Child rights expert Nagasimha Rao said relying on Aadhaar cards to verify age is problematic. “Workers such as auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), and anganwadi and ASHA workers often use the Aadhaar card as proof of age. However, according to the Prohibition of Child Marriages Act, 2021, documents provided by parents or guardians should be used for age verification,” he said.
The family must provide the child’s birth registration certificate. If that’s unavailable, a primary school certificate or SSLC marks card should be submitted. If these are not available, a certificate attested by the district health officer along with an affidavit from parents confirming the child’s age should be submitted as proof, experts said.
They stressed the need for a coordinated response from the police, health, education, and child welfare departments. Police officers, however, said they are rarely alerted by hospitals about teenage pregnancies. “When we get a call, we file a POCSO case and charge under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. But hospitals do not report at all. Even if they do, many officials avoid taking action if the girl is close to 17 or nearing 18,” a senior police officer said.