The photos from the wedding ceremony between an underage Indian girl to an old Nigerian man, has gone viral on social media, and most social media users are already reacting to it.
According to sources, the wedding ceremony of the underage Indian girl, took place in a Karnataka coastal family.
@Natashachauhan who reacted to the report tweeted;
In India…A probably 15yroldMuslimchildmarried to a probably 60 yrold Nigerian…
@Republicofindia tweeted;
That’s d women’sfreedominPeacefulcommunity. This young girl is married off/sold out to a Nigerian .. scene from Karnataka coastal family. God save her..
Girls Not Brides reports that India has the highest number of child brides in the world. It is estimated that 47% of girls in India are married before their 18th birthday.
The rates of child marriage vary between states and are as high as 69% and 65% in Bihar and Rajasthan.
While fewer Indian girls are marrying before the age of 15, rates of marriage have increased for girls between ages 15 to 18.
In many communities girls are seen as an economic burden and marriage transfers the responsibility to her new husband. Poverty and marriage expenses such as dowry may lead a family to marry off their daughter at a young age to reduce these costs.
Patriarchy, class and caste influence the norms and expectations around the role of women and girls in India. In many communities restrictive norms limit girls to the role of daughter, wife and mother who are first seen as the property of her father and then of her husband.
Controlling girls and women’s sexuality is an influential factor in the practice of child marriage too. Pressure towards early marriage aims to minimise the dishonour associated with improper female sexual conduct, often leading to marriages arranged around the time of puberty.
Poor educational opportunities for girls, especially in rural areas, also increase girls’ vulnerability to child marriage.
