Child marriages rampant in Godavari region

Kakinada: Child marriages are rampant in the combined East Godavari district and many parents are performing marriages to their children aged below 18 years to protect the interests of their family.

Many of the girls studying class 8 to 10 are married. Child marriages are being performed in most of the communities like Schedule Tribes, traditional upper castes and others.

Two-and-a-half decades ago, child marriages are most common in all communities. The parents used to marry off their daughters soon after they mature due to illiteracy and also to relieve of their responsibility.

But later, due to increasing awareness, the next generation parents started sending their children to schools. However, child marriages continued in the SC, ST communities and some upper castes, ignorant of the complications of child marriages.

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) officials are striving to stop child marriages and till date they have stopped 331 child marriages since 2019 in the combined East Godavari district. They gave counselling to the parents about the complication of child marriages. During the first and second phases of Covid -19, the number of child marriages have increased.

Most of the cases were reported in Uppada, Nagulapalli, Peddapuram, Tallarevu, Prathipadu, Tuni Rural in Kakinada district, Katrenikona, Atreyapuram, Kothapeta, Gangavaram in Konaseema district and Rajanagaram, Korukonda and a few other parts in East Godavari district. As per the data, 149 child marriages in 2019, 111 in 2020, 57 in 2021 and 14 in 2022 were prevented. Most of the families, who marry off their daughters at early age, are from poor financial background.

According to ICDS officials, illegal contacts are also leading to child marriages.

ICDS district PD K Karuna told 'The Hans India' that recently they stopped a marriage in Korangi village of Tallarevu mandal, where the bride was just 15 years old and the groom was 25 years old.

She said that they gave counselling and explained about the adverse effects of child marriage, rules and punishments for child marriage. Without knowing the effects of child marriage and without any knowledge of how they are risking their own child's life, the parents are marrying off their minor daughters under social and financial pressure, she added.

Karuna said during Covid-19 pandemic, child marriages increased, especially in tribal and rural areas. She said that they are conducting awareness programmes. She appealed to the people to inform the officials if child marriages are taking place in their localities. She stated that they have taken precautionary measures to prevent child marriages.