Her poor parents thought marrying their daughter at a tender age would ease their financial burden, but they had clearly failed to realize its devastating impact on Padma´s life.
The second grader at Bidhananda Secondary School in the village, now rarely attends classes as she is caught in household drudgery. Also last week, a 13 years old girl, who was working as a child laborer in nearby Bringi was also married off in Bhingri VDC.[break]
No wonder a recent survey conducted by Save the Children at various parts of the district shows that a staggering 33 percent of the total marriages in the district are child marriages. The study was carried out in Arkha, Bangesal, Bhingri, Gothibang, Hansapur, Okharkot and Puja VDCs.
The prevalence of child marriage is indeed frustrating. But, it is equally frustrating that the concerned authorities have been turning a blind eye to the blatant violation of the law of the land that has put a ban on child marriage.
The chapter on marriage of the Muluki Ain 2022 allows guardians to marry off their children, who have reached the age of 18; but the law demands that a girl must reach the age of 20 if she wants to marry a man without her parents´ consent.
When Republica approached the District Police Office (DPO) of Pyuthan to enquire about the recent cases of child marriage in the district, the police had a ready-made answer: Nobody has lodged a case against any child marriage of late.
Chairperson of the United Nation´s Population Fund in Pyuthan, Prem Narayan Shrestha, said that the cases of child marriage, mostly enforced by guardians, are on the rise, among the economically marginalized families in the district.
The survey conducted by Save the Children has noted that child marriage is mostly concentrated in the Dalit and the indigenous communities of the district.
"Out of the total population of 15 years old youths, 42 percent of them have become the victim of child marriage in the district. In addition to that, the trend of children getting married while studying at the lower secondary level has also drastically increased," said Shrestha.
The National Census 2012 shows that the number of people in the district married under the age of 20 stands at 70,000, while the number stands at 9,800 for those married between the age of 10 to 14.
The census also shows that 579 children below the age of ten have been married off in the district.
"Besides child marriage, the cases of child labor and suicide have also rapidly increased in the rural areas of the district," said Chairperson of Women and Children Welfare Office, Susila Singhakhada.
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