If you thought cases of child marriage, (a twisted age old practice once followed all over the world) have reduced significantly as we stand with pride in the 21st century, you’re wrong. A study conducted by UNICEF has revealed that the number of boys who are married before reaching the legal age totals at an alarming 115 million. Shocked? You got that right.
This study was the first of its kind and covered child marriage in 82 countries in the past 10 years. The data brought into light the alarming fact that as many as 1 in 5 boys was married before the age of 15. There have been previous studies to find out the causes of underage marriages in women but the reason for the same in men is an area yet to be researched.
According to News18, the study further reveals that the practice is higher in families with low or minimal income. Areas with a high prevalence of child grooms include Central African Republic (28 per cent), followed by Nicaragua (19 per cent) and Madagascar (13 per cent). Speaking about the striking data, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said:
“Marriage steals childhood. Child grooms are forced to take on adult responsibilities for which they may not be ready. Early marriage brings early fatherhood, and with it added pressure to provide for a family, cutting short education and job opportunities.”
With as many as 115 million boys marrying before they’re 18, the total number of children forced into such practices rises up to a whopping 765 million.
The only news to be happy about is that the cases of child marriage have reduced globally by 3 percent in 2018 when compared to the previous year. But this fresh data once again is a warning sign and also a wake-up call to implement child security and safety measures.
However, India, the home to one of the largest number of child brides, have seen a significant decline in the number of child brides. New data from the Global Childhood Report 2019 reveals that there has been a 51 percent reduction in child brides in India over the past 19 years. But there has been no research on child grooms as of now.
While there are several policies protecting child brides, it is time we concentrate equally on child grooms in a bid to ensure the safety of all children.