Evidence shows that the consequences of early marriages are significantly harmful. Not only does it affect the girls personally, physically and psychologically, as well as any children they might have, but it also has a heavy impact on the economy of the nation.
Girls who are married early are often forced to terminate their education at a very early age. Parents of the girls from humble backgrounds see their daughters as an economic burden and marry them off at a very tender age to avoid spending on the girls. These girls almost never continue their education post marriage, owing to the back-breaking household work, frequent pregnancies, child rearing and other restrictions.
Bright girls who have the ability to do well academically and are capable of having a fruitful career in the future, are forced to drop out. While the girls lose an opportunity to get a decent job after completing their education, the economy loses out on an educated citizen, who has the potential to contribute to the country’s economic worth.
According to a recent study by Booz and company, if men and women in India were to be equally employed, the GDP could go up by 27 percent.
If the women of the family are educated, they can contribute towards family income. Since, young brides don’t get to complete their education, the finances are the responsibility of solely the men of the family. The nation remains deprived of the financial contributions of the women. This perpetuates the cycle of poverty and thereby curtails the overall economic growth. In 2008, the labour participation in India for women was only 33 percent as compared to 81 percent for men.
They say, “educate a woman and you educate a family, educate a family and you educate a nation.” Not only does it lead to an economic upliftment of the family, but also promotes good health and an opportunity to rise above abject poverty. Less educated women seldom realise the importance of education and skill development, thereby continuing the cycle of poverty.
Girls who are married off early are not aware of the use of contraceptives and are not in a position to discuss and plan children with their husbands. They are more likely to have frequent and unplanned pregnancies in comparison to women who marry later. This adds to the country’s already high population number. Considering the basic law of demand and supply, the resources are scarce in comparison to the exponential rate at which the population of the country is increasing. This burdens the economy, which is already facing a heavy deficit.
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About the Author:
Surbhi Tangri is a journalist turned freelance writer. Her short stint at journalism helped her realise her passion for writing. She feels strongly against social issues and prejudices and believes that they hold the nation back from progressing in the real sense. She also believes that the only way these issues can be rooted out is through extensive awareness, for the laws have been in place for far too long. She’s here to raise a clarion call against these issues and urges the youth of the nation to wake up from their slumber and join this crusade towards building a healthy society. You can read more of her work on her blogs http://surbhismusings.wordpress.com/ and http://eternalsunshine17.blogspot.in/
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