Number of child marriages in Kerala on the rise

ALAPPUZHA: Child marriage cases are on the rise in the state going by the data of the  State Crime Records Bureau.  Last year, till November,  17 cases were registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act  whereas the number  was  eight  in 2016 and 13 in 2015. As per the latest data (provisional) published on the official website of the Kerala police, 19 cases were registered in 2014, 11 in  2013 and six in 2012. At least 108 child marriages have been stopped in Malappuram, which is the most child-populated district in the state, according to the Childline data.  

“The Childline gets five cases of child marriage every month in the district on an average.  Despite the promulgation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act -2006, there is no  change in the attitude of the people. The vacation (April-May) is the favourable time for parents to solemnise such marriages. Childline has alerted  volunteers to stop  child marriages in the initial stages itself,” said  Anwar Karakkadan, coordinator, Childline, Malappuram.

Child rights activists say that  police register   FIRs only after the marriages happen. “The  cooperation of more government departments and NGOs is required to do away with the practice  with effective campaigns,”  an activists said.   

According to the 2011 census, there are  23,183 married girls below the age of 15 in the state (0.604 per cent).  The health of as many as 10,175 children born to these child brides is a matter of concern. The districts that exceeded the state average in child marriages are Pathanamthitta (0.808 pc), Alappuzha (0.735 pc), Thiruvananthapuram (0.730 pc), Kollam (0.667 pc) and Kannur (0.665 pc). While Malappuram had a 0.594 per cent incidence, Thrissur had the lowest figure of 0.493 per cent.