Scenario in South Asia: Child Marriage or Forced Marriage

Child marriage and forced marriage have complex theoretical association. Generally, in most of the cases child marriage is forced but it is legally legitimate in some forms. In our conservative society, it is considered as a way of regulating female and male sexuality. In terms of average marriage age, except for some areas of rural India, Bangladesh has the lowest age of marriage. The social and gendered behavioral norms of the country is the base of child marriage.

This paper reflects that even the survivors of child marriage don’t consider their experiences as enforced marriage. Domestic and sexual violence within the marriage is more common in child marriages. Here the girls even lose the prospects of study and career.

Reference:

Gangoli, G., McCarry, M., & Razak, A. (2009). Child marriage or forced marriage? South Asian communities in north east England. Children & Society, 23(6), 418-429.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1099-0860.2008.00188.x/full