Early marriage affects adolescents' needs the most: Study

The section of society most affected by early marriage are adolescents whose needs and desires are different from that of children, a study on early marriage in India has found.

The research report -- Early and Child Marriage in India: A Landscape Analysis - launched by Nirantar, a Delhi-based organisation, highlights that gender and sexuality norms are at the heart of early and child marriage in India.

The research, which draws its facts from extensive field and desk research on the practice in contemporary India, underlines that a focus on age distracts from going deeper into addressing the root causes of child marriage.

Most importantly, the findings suggest that those most affected by this practice are adolescents and their needs, desires and anxieties are different from that of children, a release said.

The study was conducted in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Archana Dwivedi, director, Nirantar, said this report challenges the current debates on the issue of child and early marriage.

"It is a common misconception that marriage prevented till the age of 18 is the solution to all problems. This report questions this belief.

"In how many cases are marriages of young 18-year olds held with their consent? Does this change the general attitude of society towards girls and young women?" she asked.

Delhi-based activist Manak Matiyani spoke about the need to engage more young boys while addressing the issue.

Madhavi Kuckreja, a feminist activist, said rural women have engaged with the issue and about possibilities to broaden the nature and scope of this work in time to come.