More than 50 percent of Madhes marry underage

According to the details mentioned in the national census, there are 27.7 percent who get married within 15 to 17 years. Similarly, this number is 37.2 percent, including 9.3 percent who get married between the ages of 10 and 14 and 0.2 percent who get married under the age of 10.

There are 39.5 percent who get married between the ages of eighteen and 20. Although the groom's age is 20, the bride is found to be 17 years old. The president of Ratayuli Youth Club, Vaidyanath Choudhary, who is conducting a social campaign against child marriage, informed that the total number of underage marriages will reach 50 percent when the number of underage marriages is half of 39.5%.

It is mentioned in the statistical record of National Census, 2078 that the average age of marriage in Madhes is 18 years. Although the age of men is 20 years, women are found up to 17 years.

Chowdhury said that apart from this aspect of child marriage, there are more teenage girls in child marriages. He says that even though mismatched marriages have decreased in the last few years, there are still a lot of people who give away daughters under the age of older men in the society.

To end this situation of child marriage, the local level of the district has been conducting a social awareness campaign in collaboration with various social organizations. Hari Prasad Mandal, the head of Matihani Municipality informed that the marriage system improvement project is being conducted for social awareness against child marriage in Matihani, Balwa, Manrasishawa, Jaleshwar and Loharpatti Municipalities and Pipra and Mahottari Rural Municipality.

In 49 schools of these seven local levels, theoretical classes, discussions and exercises related to life-useful education and behavior change are being conducted to end child marriage, and positive results are being obtained from this, the Nagar Pramukh Mandal said.

In order to reduce child marriage, the local government is conducting public awareness programs among children and parents in schools, performing street plays, forming children's clubs, training and child-friendly governance.

Matihani municipality has been giving social respect to the parents who marry their children after they reach the age, the guru/priest who performs the marriage ceremony and the Molvi (Islamic priest).