Girls lose their youth through child marriage, which also endangers their lives and wellbeing. Domestic violence is more common, and girls who marry before turning 18 are less likely to finish school. They experience worse economic and health outcomes than their single peers, which eventually trickles down to their own offspring, placing further strain on a nation’s ability to offer high-quality healthcare and education.
According to the 2011 Census, India has about 12 million married children, 70% of whom are female. Young marriage deprives children of their fundamental rights, including freedom from abuse and exploitation, access to a regular education, and decent health and nutrition. They have had their birthright blatantly violated, which just makes them more defenseless. Many disadvantaged children are still caught in a cycle of poverty that is detrimental to their healthy development. All children are targeted because of this illegal activity, from the current generation to the ones to come, but it’s time we defended children’s rights.
Child marriage has significant economic costs at the national level as well, with significant consequences for growth and prosperity because it affects a girl’s health, future, and family.
Pushp Foundation India has been working to combat this social evil by conducting education and counselling sessions with adolescent girls, connecting parents with MNREGA job opportunities, organizing home visits to high-risk homes, educating Panchayat leaders and other members about the detrimental effects of child marriage, tracking potential cases of impending child marriages and enlisting the assistance of the police to prevent them, and making sure that girls can return to school.
Our request to all donors is: help us address this important problem with greater funding and necessary action. Donate to the Pushp Foundation India, the greatest NGO to help underprivileged girls avoid child marriage. Your assistance may help India’s daughters have a better chance at the future.
