Have you ever seen that the marriages are arranged for girls below the age of 18 years and Boys below the age of 21 years? Discuss such cases of your locality. How do they affect the Girls? Do you support Child marriages? Why/Why not? Show preventive measures.

Child Marriages are prevalent in rural areas. Though Government has taken a lot of effort to curb the act yet it is practiced.

The reasons for child marriages are:

a. Poverty and marriage expenses such as dowry may lead a family to marry off their daughter at a young age to reduce these costs.

b. Poor educational opportunities for girls, especially in rural areas increase the vulnerability of a girl child to be married off early.

c. Inadequate implementation of laws is a major reason for persisting menace of child marriage in the country.

Impact of early marriage/child marriage:

a. Issues related to early pregnancy. Mental health is also a major concern.

b. Girls are forced to drop out schools

c. Lower age at marriage directly affects fertility rates.

Preventive measures:

a. A male adult above eighteen years of age, if contracts a child marriage shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment.

b. Whoever performs, conducts, directs or abets any child marriage shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment.

c. Creating awareness about the drawbacks of early marriage.

d. Focusing on imparting education in rural areas.