India and Nepal are among the top five countries where the practice of child marriage still exists (along with Uganda, Nigeria and Bangladesh). Such marriages here are not just single instances. According to UNICEF statistics, 63% of marriages in Nepal are with a bride below 18 years old, of which in 40% of cases the bride is under 15. Marriages between children 6-8 years of age also happen - it is 7%. Such alliances are most common in the south-eastern Nepal, among the Maithili and Parbat people.
As to India… 40% of all child marriages in the world occur in India. 48% of brides get married before reaching the age of 18, of which 15% of girls become wives before reaching the age of 13. The national record in child marriages belongs to Rajasthan.
Law of India and Nepal prohibits marriage until the girl is 18. Nevertheless, many people prefer to marry off their children before they reach adulthood. This applies especially to the people of the lower social classes and tribes. Marrying off their daughters at an early age, parents thus get rid of an extra mouth to feed. In addition, child bride’s dowry supposed to be smaller than the one of an adult female. The groom's family, in turn, gets free helper in the household. And the law is powerless here - it can take effect only if the girl goes to court. And how can we expect this from an uneducated child, besides living rural?
