ISLAMABAD: South Asia has the highest number of child brides in the world, with an estimated 290 million child brides, accounting for 45% of the world’s total, according to a report released by UNICEF on Wednesday.
The report suggests that the economic fallout and school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed families to marry off their young daughters.
The legal age of marriage for girls in Nepal is 20, 18 in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, and 16 in Afghanistan. Pakistan is an exception, where the minimum age is 16, except for the province of Sindh, where it is 18.
The UNICEF report, which included interviews and discussions in 16 locations in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, found that many parents considered marriage the best option for their daughters during the COVID-19 lockdowns, as it limited their opportunities to study.
UNICEF’s director highest child marriages in South Asia a tragedy
UNICEF’s regional director for South Asia, Noala Skinner, said, “The fact that South Asia has the highest child marriages in the world is nothing short of tragic.
Child marriage deprives girls of education, puts their wellbeing and health at risk, and compromises their future. Every girl who gets married at an early age is one girl too many.”
The study also revealed that families facing financial strain during the pandemic had been pushed to marry off their daughters early to reduce household costs.
The agency identified potential solutions to counter poverty, including social protection measures, the enforcement of laws to protect every child’s right to education, and addressing social norms.
Björn Andersson, the Asia-Pacific regional director of the United Nations Population Fund, said, “We must put more effort and strengthen collaborations to empower girls through education and equipping them with skills while supporting local communities to come together to end this deeply rooted practice.”
The UNICEF report highlights the need for increased efforts to end early-age marriages in South Asia, as it poses a threat to the health, wellbeing, and future of millions of young girls in the region.
The report emphasizes that ending child marriage will require the collaboration of governments, civil society, and local communities to address the root causes of the practice and create a better future for girls in the region.
