As monsoon rains were about to break over&nbsp;Pakistan, 14-year-old Shamila and her 13-year-old sister Amina were married off in exchange for money, a decision their parents made to help the family survive the threat of floods.

"I was happy to hear I was getting married... I thought my life would become easier," Shamila told AFP after her wedding to a man twice her age in hope of a more prosperous life.&nbsp;

"But I have nothing more. And with the rain, I fear I will have even less, if that is possible."&nbsp;

Pakistan's high rate of marriages for underage girls had been inching lower in recent years, but after unprecedented floods in 2022, rights workers warn such weddings are now on the rise due to climate-driven economic insecurity.&nbsp;

The summer monsoon between July and September is vital for the livelihoods of millions of farmers and food security, but scientists say climate change is making them heavier and longer, raising the risk of landslides, floods and long-term crop damage.&nbsp;

Many villages in the agricultural belt of Sindh have not recovered from the 2022 floods, which plunged a third of the country underwater, displaced millions and ruined harvests.

"This has led to a new trend of 'monsoon brides'," said Mashooque Birhmani, the founder of the NGO Sujag Sansar, which works with religious scholars to combat child marriage.

"Families will find any means of survival. The first and most obvious way is to give their daughters away in marriage in exchange for money."

Birhmani said since the 2022 floods, child marriage has spiked in villages in Dadu district, one of the worst-hit areas that for months resembled a lake.

In Khan Mohammad Mallah village, where Shamila and Amina were married in a joint ceremony in June, 45 underage girls have become wives since the last monsoon -- 15 of them in May and June this year.&nbsp;

"Before the 2022 rains, there was no such need to get girls married so young in our area," said village elder Mai Hajani, 65.

"They would work on the land, make rope for wooden beds, the men would be busy with fishing and agriculture. There was always work to be done".&nbsp;

Parents told AFP that they hurried the marriage of their daughters to save them from poverty, usually in exchange for money.

Shamila's mother-in-law, Bibi Sachal, said they gave 200,000&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;Rupees ($720) to the young bride's parents –-&nbsp;a major sum in a region where most families survive on around one dollar a day.&nbsp;

<h2>'I thought I would get lipstick'</h2>

Najma Ali was initially swept up in the excitement of becoming a wife when she married at 14 in 2022 and began living with her in-laws, as is tradition in&nbsp;Pakistan.

"My husband gave my parents 250,000 rupees for our wedding. But it was on loan (from a third party) that he has no way of paying back now," she said.&nbsp;

"I thought I would get lipstick, makeup, clothes and crockery," she told AFP, cradling her six-month-old baby.&nbsp;

"Now I am back home with a husband and a baby because we have nothing to eat."

Their village, which lies on the banks of a canal in the Main Nara Valley, is barren and there are no fish left in the polluted water -- its stench overwhelms the area.

"We had lush rice fields where girls used to work," said Hakim Zaadi, 58, the village matron and Najma's mother.

"They would grow many vegetables, which are all dead now because the water in the ground is poisonous. This has happened especially after 2022," she added.&nbsp;

"The girls were not a burden on us before then. At the age girls used to get married, they now have five children, and they come back to live with their parents because their husbands are jobless."

<h2>'I want to study'</h2>

Child marriages are common in parts of&nbsp;Pakistan, which has the sixth-highest number of girls married before the age of 18 in the world, according to government data published in December.

The legal age for marriage varies from 16 to 18 in different regions, but the law is rarely enforced.

UNICEF has reported "significant strides" in reducing child marriage, but evidence shows that extreme weather events put girls at risk.

"We would expect to see an 18 percent increase in the prevalence of child marriage, equivalent to erasing five years of progress," it said in a report after the 2022 floods.&nbsp;

Dildar Ali Sheikh, 31, had planned to marry off his eldest daughter Mehtab while living in an aid camp after being displaced by the floods.

"When I was there, I thought to myself 'we should get our daughter married so at least she can eat and have basic facilities'," the daily wage labourer told AFP.&nbsp;

Mehtab was just 10 years old.

"The night I decided to get her married, I couldn't sleep," said her mother, Sumbal Ali Sheikh, who was 18 when she married.

An intervention from the NGO Sujag Sansar led to the wedding being postponed, and Mehtab was enrolled in a sewing workshop, allowing her to earn a small income while continuing her education.

But when the monsoon rains fall, she is overcome by dread that her promised wedding will also arrive.

"I have told my father I want to study," she said. "I see married girls around me who have very challenging lives and I don't want this for myself." &nbsp;

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

As monsoon rains were about to break over Pakistan, 14-year-old Shamila and her 13-year-old sister Amina were married off in exchange for money, a decision their parents made to help the family survive the threat of floods.

As monsoon rains were about to break over Pakistan, 14-year-old Shamila and her 13-year-old sister Amina were married off in exchange for money, a decision their parents made to help the family survive the threat of floods. "I was happy to hear I was getting married... I thought my life would become easier," Shamila told AFP after her wedding to a man twice her age in hope of a more prosperous life. "But I have nothing more. And with the rain, I fear I will have even less, if that is possible." Pakistan's high rate of marriages for underage girls had been inching lower in recent years, but after unprecedented floods in 2022, rights workers warn such weddings are now on the rise due to climate-driven economic insecurity. The summer monsoon between July and September is vital for the livelihoods of millions of farmers and food security, but scientists say climate change is making them heavier and longer, raising the risk of landslides, floods and long-term crop damage. Many villages in the agricultural belt of Sindh have not recovered from the 2022 floods, which plunged a third of the country underwater, displaced millions and ruined harvests. "This has led to a new trend of 'monsoon brides'," said Mashooque Birhmani, the founder of the NGO Sujag Sansar, which works with religious scholars to combat child marriage. "Families will find any means of survival. The first and most obvious way is to give their daughters away in marriage in exchange for money." Birhmani said since the 2022 floods, child marriage has spiked in villages in Dadu district, one of the worst-hit areas that for months resembled a lake. In Khan Mohammad Mallah village, where Shamila and Amina were married in a joint ceremony in June, 45 underage girls have become wives since the last monsoon -- 15 of them in May and June this year. "Before the 2022 rains, there was no such need to get girls married so young in our area," said village elder Mai Hajani, 65. "They would work on the land, make rope for wooden beds, the men would be busy with fishing and agriculture. There was always work to be done". Parents told AFP that they hurried the marriage of their daughters to save them from poverty, usually in exchange for money. Shamila's mother-in-law, Bibi Sachal, said they gave 200,000 Pakistan Rupees ($720) to the young bride's parents –- a major sum in a region where most families survive on around one dollar a day. 'I thought I would get lipstick' Najma Ali was initially swept up in the excitement of becoming a wife when she married at 14 in 2022 and began living with her in-laws, as is tradition in Pakistan. "My husband gave my parents 250,000 rupees for our wedding. But it was on loan (from a third party) that he has no way of paying back now," she said. "I thought I would get lipstick, makeup, clothes and crockery," she told AFP, cradling her six-month-old baby. "Now I am back home with a husband and a baby because we have nothing to eat." Their village, which lies on the banks of a canal in the Main Nara Valley, is barren and there are no fish left in the polluted water -- its stench overwhelms the area. "We had lush rice fields where girls used to work," said Hakim Zaadi, 58, the village matron and Najma's mother. "They would grow many vegetables, which are all dead now because the water in the ground is poisonous. This has happened especially after 2022," she added. "The girls were not a burden on us before then. At the age girls used to get married, they now have five children, and they come back to live with their parents because their husbands are jobless." 'I want to study' Child marriages are common in parts of Pakistan, which has the sixth-highest number of girls married before the age of 18 in the world, according to government data published in December. The legal age for marriage varies from 16 to 18 in different regions, but the law is rarely enforced. UNICEF has reported "significant strides" in reducing child marriage, but evidence shows that extreme weather events put girls at risk. "We would expect to see an 18 percent increase in the prevalence of child marriage, equivalent to erasing five years of progress," it said in a report after the 2022 floods. Dildar Ali Sheikh, 31, had planned to marry off his eldest daughter Mehtab while living in an aid camp after being displaced by the floods. "When I was there, I thought to myself 'we should get our daughter married so at least she can eat and have basic facilities'," the daily wage labourer told AFP. Mehtab was just 10 years old. "The night I decided to get her married, I couldn't sleep," said her mother, Sumbal Ali Sheikh, who was 18 when she married. An intervention from the NGO Sujag Sansar led to the wedding being postponed, and Mehtab was enrolled in a sewing workshop, allowing her to earn a small income while continuing her education. But when the monsoon rains fall, she is overcome by dread that her promised wedding will also arrive. "I have told my father I want to study," she said. "I see married girls around me who have very challenging lives and I don't want this for myself." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

'Monsoon brides': Extreme weather fuels Pakistan child marriages

There's a visible uptick in child marriages in Bangladesh. Data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics say that 41.6% of women in Bangladesh in 2023 were married off before they even turned 18. This figure is based on a survey conducted over 300,000 households.

Report: 41.6% Bangladeshi women are child brides

The Gauhati High Court has granted anticipatory bail to nine people&nbsp;being questioned by the Assam Police in connection with the state-led campaign against child marriages.&nbsp;The Gauhati High Court noted that there is no need to interrogate the apprehended or accused in custody in this matter while citing how the crackdown has caused ‘havoc in the private lives of people.’&nbsp;The Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, 2012 (POCSO) and rape charges against individuals found guilty of child marriage were also denounced by the Assam high court. The claims and accusations made by the BJP-led Assam government were deemed "absolutely weird" by the&nbsp;High Court.

All of the petitioners in the child marriage cases were given instant clearance by Justice Suman Shyam to be released on bail, as per ANI reports.

"These are not matters of custodial interrogation. You (state) proceed as per law, we have nothing to say. If you find somebody guilty, file a charge sheet. Let him or her face trial and if they are convicted, they are convicted," the judge said.

"This (arrest) is&nbsp;causing havoc&nbsp;in the private life of people. There are children, there are family members, there are old people. This may not be a good idea to go for (arrests), obviously it is a bad idea," he observed on Tuesday (February 14).&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/on-adani-row-the-indian-government-accepts-supreme-courts-suggestion-562350">India's top court to hear opposition lawmaker's petition against Adani</a>

<h2>Child marriages in Assam</h2>

In Assam, 4,225 incidents of child marriage have been registered as of February 14; 3,031 persons have been detained in total and 4,004 FIRs were filed when the crackdown began on February 3.

The state government does not even have space in the jails, Justice Shyam informed Additional Public Prosecutor D Das, and he recommended that the administration build larger prisons.

Justice Shyam responded to the government advocate's observation that cases had been filed under the POCSO Act's non-bailable charges and the rape (IPC Section 376) provision by saying, "What is the POCSO here? Merely because POCSO is added, does it mean the judges will not see what is there?"

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Air India to buy over 200 Boeing planes, deal is biggest in aviation history

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/air-india-to-buy-over-200-boeing-planes-deal-is-biggest-in-aviation-history-562129/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The high court is not acquitting anybody and nobody is preventing the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explained-what-does-the-discovery-of-lithium-in-jk-mean-for-india-561632">government</a> from investigating the cases of child marriages," he added.

"Why Section 376 (of IPC)? Is there any allegation of rape here? These are all weird allegations, absolutely weird," Justice Shyam continued.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

The Gauhati High Court has granted anticipatory bail to nine people being questioned by the Assam Police in connection with the state-led campaign against child marriages.

The Gauhati High Court has granted anticipatory bail to nine people being questioned by the Assam Police in connection with the state-led campaign against child marriages. The Gauhati High Court noted that there is no need to interrogate the apprehended or accused in custody in this matter while citing how the crackdown has caused ‘havoc in the private lives of people.’ The Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, 2012 (POCSO) and rape charges against individuals found guilty of child marriage were also denounced by the Assam high court. The claims and accusations made by the BJP-led Assam government were deemed "absolutely weird" by the High Court. All of the petitioners in the child marriage cases were given instant clearance by Justice Suman Shyam to be released on bail, as per ANI reports. "These are not matters of custodial interrogation. You (state) proceed as per law, we have nothing to say. If you find somebody guilty, file a charge sheet. Let him or her face trial and if they are convicted, they are convicted," the judge said. "This (arrest) is causing havoc in the private life of people. There are children, there are family members, there are old people. This may not be a good idea to go for (arrests), obviously it is a bad idea," he observed on Tuesday (February 14). ALSO READ | India's top court to hear opposition lawmaker's petition against Adani Child marriages in Assam In Assam, 4,225 incidents of child marriage have been registered as of February 14; 3,031 persons have been detained in total and 4,004 FIRs were filed when the crackdown began on February 3. The state government does not even have space in the jails, Justice Shyam informed Additional Public Prosecutor D Das, and he recommended that the administration build larger prisons. Justice Shyam responded to the government advocate's observation that cases had been filed under the POCSO Act's non-bailable charges and the rape (IPC Section 376) provision by saying, "What is the POCSO here? Merely because POCSO is added, does it mean the judges will not see what is there?" ALSO WATCH | Air India to buy over 200 Boeing planes, deal is biggest in aviation history "The high court is not acquitting anybody and nobody is preventing the government from investigating the cases of child marriages," he added. "Why Section 376 (of IPC)? Is there any allegation of rape here? These are all weird allegations, absolutely weird," Justice Shyam continued. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Gauhati HC grants bail in child marriage cases, says crackdown caused ‘havoc in private lives of people’

Women in Spain marched on Wednesday (November 25) to highlight how lockdowns due to the pandemic had left many trapped with their abusers and exposed to greater danger. The marches in Madrid and Bilbao marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Spanish women join global call for end to domestic violence

Kudos to Sona, a 17-year-old resident of Tagarpar village, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, for calling off her wedding during her Mehendi ceremony. Clearly, the courage shown by Sona is unprecedented! Thousands of girls in India today remain unaware of the consequences of child marriage, fear vocalising their rights and submit to the mediocre decisions of their families.&nbsp;

In a country such as ours which is on a steady path of development and with the existence of stringent laws such as the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Bill 2005, one would naturally assume that child marriages as a phenomenon would cease to exist. However, while the recent findings of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) have been promising, showing a decline from 47 per cent in 2005-06 to 26.8 per cent in 2015-16 on child marriage, yet, geographical variations still exist with over half of child brides continuing to live in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.&nbsp;

Sona was lucky as she was able to find support and dared to take a stand. Not everyone else is that privileged.&nbsp;

As per UNICEF’s report "Ending Child Marriage: A profile of child marriage in India" - one in three of the worlds child brides live in India. Of the country’s 223 million child brides, 102 million were married before they even turned 15.

This is indeed a violation of human rights and a complex issue to tackle. While persistent poverty, economic backwardness and gender inequality serve as primary propellers of child marriage, the act of marrying girls off at a young age also impacts their nutrition &amp; mental health levels. While families are known to still justify child marriage on the pretext that this will prevent their girls from becoming sexually active before marriage, the act in itself closes several educational, skilling and growth opportunities for girls forever. Most child brides give birth as adolescents and tend to bear more children than those married at legally permissible ages.&nbsp;

Another reason for the continuation of such a practice is the lack of law enforcement and limited knowledge and apathy among communities about legal consequences. The burden to prove the invalidity of the marriage also lies with the minor. As per the PMCA, if the petitioner is a minor, a petition can be filed only through a guardian or the next best friend of the married child (who must be an adult) with help from the child marriage prohibition officer, who is rarely reprimanded for dereliction of duty. This form of justice is cumbersome, and less from ideal as often the eco-system of the child bride (or groom) is party to the practice.&nbsp;

Thus, while India’s progress in combating child marriage over the past decade has been one of the strongest among countries in South Asia, this is the moment that calls for much stricter enforcement of the law and greater sensitisation of communities on the consequences of child marriage.

In the absence of the same, positive attempts made to empower girls under Beti Bachao- Beti Parhao, provision of life skill education under school and college education initiatives and health schemes such as Ayushman Bharat run risk of overlooking the lives of our girls who still succumb to this social injustice. 
&nbsp; 
Girls need to be seen as a special group with specific needs and Indian states/geographies that continue to perform poorly on child marriage indices need to accept this reality and launch specialised targeted initiatives and schemes.&nbsp;

It is also time to build on best practice models launched by civil society, establish inter-ministerial commitment, forge convergence by enforcement agencies on the ground to implement stringent child protection policies. All these efforts will also need to be four times faster than the last 10 years to reach our goals of no child marriages in India.&nbsp;

Left unaddressed, gender subjugation and poverty will continue to be intrinsically linked to the equitable growth and development of the country and girls like Sona who sought to be vocal &amp; fight for their rights would be the exception than the norm.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Kudos to Sona, a 17-year-old resident of Tagarpar village, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, for calling off her wedding during her Mehendi ceremony. Clearly, the courage shown by Sona is unprecedented!

Kudos to Sona, a 17-year-old resident of Tagarpar village, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, for calling off her wedding during her Mehendi ceremony. Clearly, the courage shown by Sona is unprecedented! Thousands of girls in India today remain unaware of the consequences of child marriage, fear vocalising their rights and submit to the mediocre decisions of their families. In a country such as ours which is on a steady path of development and with the existence of stringent laws such as the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Bill 2005, one would naturally assume that child marriages as a phenomenon would cease to exist. However, while the recent findings of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) have been promising, showing a decline from 47 per cent in 2005-06 to 26.8 per cent in 2015-16 on child marriage, yet, geographical variations still exist with over half of child brides continuing to live in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Sona was lucky as she was able to find support and dared to take a stand. Not everyone else is that privileged. As per UNICEF’s report "Ending Child Marriage: A profile of child marriage in India" - one in three of the worlds child brides live in India. Of the country’s 223 million child brides, 102 million were married before they even turned 15. This is indeed a violation of human rights and a complex issue to tackle. While persistent poverty, economic backwardness and gender inequality serve as primary propellers of child marriage, the act of marrying girls off at a young age also impacts their nutrition & mental health levels. While families are known to still justify child marriage on the pretext that this will prevent their girls from becoming sexually active before marriage, the act in itself closes several educational, skilling and growth opportunities for girls forever. Most child brides give birth as adolescents and tend to bear more children than those married at legally permissible ages. Another reason for the continuation of such a practice is the lack of law enforcement and limited knowledge and apathy among communities about legal consequences. The burden to prove the invalidity of the marriage also lies with the minor. As per the PMCA, if the petitioner is a minor, a petition can be filed only through a guardian or the next best friend of the married child (who must be an adult) with help from the child marriage prohibition officer, who is rarely reprimanded for dereliction of duty. This form of justice is cumbersome, and less from ideal as often the eco-system of the child bride (or groom) is party to the practice. Thus, while India’s progress in combating child marriage over the past decade has been one of the strongest among countries in South Asia, this is the moment that calls for much stricter enforcement of the law and greater sensitisation of communities on the consequences of child marriage. In the absence of the same, positive attempts made to empower girls under Beti Bachao- Beti Parhao, provision of life skill education under school and college education initiatives and health schemes such as Ayushman Bharat run risk of overlooking the lives of our girls who still succumb to this social injustice. Girls need to be seen as a special group with specific needs and Indian states/geographies that continue to perform poorly on child marriage indices need to accept this reality and launch specialised targeted initiatives and schemes. It is also time to build on best practice models launched by civil society, establish inter-ministerial commitment, forge convergence by enforcement agencies on the ground to implement stringent child protection policies. All these efforts will also need to be four times faster than the last 10 years to reach our goals of no child marriages in India. Left unaddressed, gender subjugation and poverty will continue to be intrinsically linked to the equitable growth and development of the country and girls like Sona who sought to be vocal & fight for their rights would be the exception than the norm. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

High time to end child marriages

India saw a sharp decline in child marriages over the last ten years with 27 per cent of girls getting married before their 18th birthday as against 47 per cent a decade ago, the United Nations children&#39;s agency UNICEF said today.

This decline in India has contributed significantly to a global decline in child marriages, Overall, the proportion of girls who were married as children decreased by 15 per cent in the last decade, from 1 in 4 to approximately 1 in 5.

According to a statement issued by the UNICEF, 25 million child marriages were prevented globally in the last 10 years (2005-06 and 2015-16) with the largest reduction seen in South Asia with India being at the forefront.

&quot;South Asia has witnessed the largest decline in child marriages worldwide in the last 10 years, as a girls&#39; risk of marrying before her 18th birthday has dropped by more than a third, from nearly 50 per cent to 30 per cent, in large part due to progress in India,&quot; the UNICEF stated.

The UN children&#39;s agency attributed increasing rates of girls&#39; education, proactive government investments in adolescent girls and strong public awareness about the illegality of child marriage and the harm it causes are among the reasons for the decline.

&quot;When a girl is forced to marry as a child, she faces immediate and lifelong consequences. Her odds of finishing school decrease while her odds of being abused by her husband and suffering complications during pregnancy increase. There are also huge societal consequences and a higher risk of intergenerational cycles of poverty,&quot; said Anju Malhotra, UNICEF&#39;s Principal Gender Advisor.

&quot;Given the life-altering impact child marriage has on a young girl&#39;s life, any reduction is welcome news, but we&#39;ve got a long way to go,&#39;&#39; she said.

&quot;Each and every child marriage prevented gives another girl the chance to fulfill her potential,&quot; said Malhotra.

&#39;&#39;But given the world has pledged to end child marriage by 2030, we&#39;re going to have to collectively redouble efforts to prevent millions of girls from having their childhoods stolen through this devastating practice,&#39;&#39; Sher stressed.

The proportion of girls getting married as children diminished by 15 per cent in the last decade

India saw a sharp decline in child marriages over the last ten years with 27 per cent of girls getting married before their 18th birthday as against 47 per cent a decade ago, the United Nations children's agency UNICEF said today. This decline in India has contributed significantly to a global decline in child marriages, Overall, the proportion of girls who were married as children decreased by 15 per cent in the last decade, from 1 in 4 to approximately 1 in 5. According to a statement issued by the UNICEF, 25 million child marriages were prevented globally in the last 10 years (2005-06 and 2015-16) with the largest reduction seen in South Asia with India being at the forefront. "South Asia has witnessed the largest decline in child marriages worldwide in the last 10 years, as a girls' risk of marrying before her 18th birthday has dropped by more than a third, from nearly 50 per cent to 30 per cent, in large part due to progress in India," the UNICEF stated. The UN children's agency attributed increasing rates of girls' education, proactive government investments in adolescent girls and strong public awareness about the illegality of child marriage and the harm it causes are among the reasons for the decline. "When a girl is forced to marry as a child, she faces immediate and lifelong consequences. Her odds of finishing school decrease while her odds of being abused by her husband and suffering complications during pregnancy increase. There are also huge societal consequences and a higher risk of intergenerational cycles of poverty," said Anju Malhotra, UNICEF's Principal Gender Advisor. "Given the life-altering impact child marriage has on a young girl's life, any reduction is welcome news, but we've got a long way to go,'' she said. "Each and every child marriage prevented gives another girl the chance to fulfill her potential," said Malhotra. ''But given the world has pledged to end child marriage by 2030, we're going to have to collectively redouble efforts to prevent millions of girls from having their childhoods stolen through this devastating practice,'' Sher stressed.

Child marriages declining in India: UNICEF

child-marriages

Child Marriages, News on Child Marriages, stories on Child Marriages, articles on Child Marriages, Child Marriages stories at Wion, Child Marriages news, Child Marriages latest news