RSCPCR

RAJASTHAN: CHILD MARRIAGE AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY

( A G E G R O U P 1 5 - 1 9 Y E A R S )

F A C T S H E E T

Based on NFHS-4 (2015-16) Introduction Gendered social norms In , statistically the incidence of child regulate women's roles in society, marriage has been declining slowly over time, but the number of girls and boys getting restrict their sexuality and agency, married before their respective legal age and determine the importance (18 years for girls and 21 years for boys) remains of certain attributes for large with 12.1 million child marriages reported by Census of India, 2011. The causes of child marriageability marriage are complex and varied, based on Young Lives, 2016 various customs and traditions across contexts, and remain rooted in existing socio-cultural norms. Besides this, the economic and regional factors play a signicant role in determining prevalence of child marriage. While Census, 2011, allows us to investigate incidence of child marriage, the fourth round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) 2015-16 data highlights prevalence rate of child marriage. Though it is acknowledged that child marriage persists amongst both boys and girls, this factsheet draws upon NFHS-4 data (2015-16) to analyse prevalence of child marriage and teenage pregnancy only amongst girls in the age group of 15-19 years in the State of . This factsheet also examines some factors related to child marriage and teenage pregnancy at the State and district level.

National Statistics It is observed that at the national level, child marriage is more prevalent amongst girls from bottom wealth tercile An overall comparison at the national level of the households (16.6%) and least prevalent amongst girls prevalence rate of child marriage amongst 15-19 year belonging to the top wealth tercile households (5.4%). old girls between NFHS-3 and NFHS-4 shows a Similarly, women's educational level is also negatively considerable decrease. According to NFHS-4, the associated with the prevalence of child marriage prevalence rate of child marriage has reduced to 11.9% amongst girls of this age group, i.e., higher the level of (14.1% in rural areas and 6.9% in urban areas) from 26.5%. education, lower is the chance of child marriage. Findings show that completion of secondary education It is important to note that the prevalence of child is much lower amongst married teenage girls than marriage diers substantially across States. As per NFHS- unmarried girls amongst 15-19 years age group across all 4, there are 12 States in India that show higher prevalence States. Analysis related to teenage pregnancy reveals that of child marriage than the national average (11.9%). 31.5% of married teenage girls aged 15-19 years have Furthermore, there are 13 States in India including given birth to at least one child, with the highest Rajasthan where more than 80% of the child marriages prevalence in Goa (64.4%), Mizoram (60.8%) and took place in rural areas within their respective State. Meghalaya (52.9%).

2 Rajasthan 8.3% (10<18 years) according to Census, 2011. Using NFHS-4 data we nd that prevalence of child marriage Rajasthan is located on the north-western border of the amongst 1519 year old girls is 16.2% in Rajasthan, while th country. It is the largest State in India by area, ranking 8 it is 18.7% and 7.6% respectively for rural and urban areas. in terms of population forming 5.7% of Indias total population. Majority of Rajasthans population, Prevalence of Child Marriage Amongst i.e. 75.1%, resides in the rural areas. A signicant Girls in the Age Group 1519 Years proportion of these rural households belong to 1 Scheduled Castes (18.5%) and Scheduled Tribes (17.6%) National Rajasthan (SECC, 2011) the most disadvantaged section of the Average vs Average society. Rajasthan has the lowest literacy rate amongst women (52.1%) across all Indian States and UTs as per

Census, 2011. A majority of the workforce is engaged in 11.9% agriculture and allied activities. 16.2% It is noteworthy that Rajasthan emerges as the State with the highest incidence of child marriage both amongst boys i.e. 8.6% (10<21 years) and girls i.e. NFHS-4 (2015-16)

Child Marriage (District Level Findings) The prevalence of child marriage diers substantially across districts in Rajasthan. While 12 districts in Rajasthan show higher prevalence of child marriage than the State average, other districts have a relatively lower prevalence. The top three districts with highest prevalence of child marriage amongst girls in the 15-19 years of age group are (36.4%), (33.1%) and (26%).

Top Three Districts 12 districts in Rajasthan Show Higher Prevalence of Child Marriage with Highest Prevalence than the State Average of 16.2% of Child Marriage Amongst Girls in the Age Group 1519 Years 18.9% 16.5% 25.1% Tonk 21.1% 24.7% 19.4%

Bhilwara 36.4% Chittorgarh 23.5% 33.1% Rajsamand 26.0% Chittorgarh 25.4% Rajsamand 17.5% 33.1% % 26.0 Bhilwara 36.4%

Dausa Jalor Location 100% 97.4% Barmer Bharatpur Findings reveal that prevalence of 100% 97% child marriage amongst girls in the Districts in which more age group 15-19 is signicantly than 95% of higher in rural areas of Rajasthan. The the child ndings are particularly important marriages Pratapgarh since any intervention or campaign took place 97.6% planned to prevent child marriage in in rural Rajsamand areas 95.2% 95.6% Rajasthan must focus on rural areas. 97.2%

1 Higher than the national average of 18.5% of rural households belonging to Scheduled Castes and 10.9% to Scheduled Tribes. 3 Wealth Index Bottom Tercile Middle Tercile Top Tercile Percentage Unmarried 75.0 78.1 86.0 of Girls Girls in the Girls Married Age Group 20.5 17.1 9.6 15-19 Years before age 18 by Household Girls Married Wealth Index between 1819 4.5 4.7 4.4 Years

The relationship between child marriage amongst girls and household wealth index is signicantly strong. It is evident from the ndings that girls from poor and middle wealth tercile households are more likely to get married at a younger age than girls from the top wealth tercile households. At State level, 20.5% and 17.1% of the girls aged 15-19 years from bottom and middle wealth tercile households respectively, were married as a child, compared to 9.6% of girls from top wealth tercile households.

In 14 districts more than 50% of the child marriages took place amongst the bottom wealth tercile households

85.8% 83.0% 79.9% 76.8% 76.2% 71.3% 69.3% 67.4% Pratapgarh Banswara Barmer Udaipur Baran Karauli Jhalawar

66.8% 65.9% 65.3% 58.5% 53.7% 51.3% Chittorgarh Jalor Dhaulpur Bundi Sawai Madhopur

In eight districts more than 20% of the child marriages took place in top wealth tercile households

49.4% 38.9% 29.9% 28.9% 26.3% 26.1% 23.6% 22.5% Pali Alwar Ganganagar Nagaur Churu Jhunjhunun

These ndings have immense policy implications, indicating that households across wealth terciles must be addressed in order to reduce child marriage.

Barmer and . For example, the secondary Educational Attainment school completion rate amongst unmarried girls in Education is essential for developing a sense of agency in Ganganagar district was 92.1%, while it was only 52.9% young adults, especially in girls. It instils within them a amongst girls married before legal age. Another example condence in their abilities and self-ecacy that can can be drawn from which has emerged push them to achieve their goals. The established as the district with highest prevalence of girl child correlation between child marriage and the educational marriage in the State. In Bhilwara, the secondary school attainment of girls suggests that higher the level of completion rate amongst unmarried girls was 85.1% education, lower is the chance of girls getting married compared to only 46.9% amongst girls married before before the legal age. In this context, the completion of 18 years. secondary education amongst girls is found to be Making secondary school completion a fundamental signicant in delaying the age at marriage. right, and ensuring that girls from poor households Findings show that the completion rate of secondary are provided residential secondary schools may be education is higher amongst unmarried girls (1519 considered as necessary steps to prevent early years) than married girls across all districts, except marriage in Rajasthan.

4 Completion of Secondary Education by Marital Status among Percentage of 15-19 Years Old Girls in Dierent Districts of Rajasthan Girls Married Jodhpur Before Legal Age Nagaur Bharatpur 42.7% Ganganagar 57.4% 63.5% by Educational 52.9% 71.9% 86.0% 70.2% 92.1% 54.1% levels 85.7% Ajmer Sikar Alwar 44.2% 90.3% 55.8% 69.7% 88.9% 88.4% 76.5% Jhunjhunun 80.8% 83.0% 33.6% Jaipur 56.2% 89.6% 62.3% 90.7% Tonk 92.9% Churu 62.1% Jaisalmer 80.7% No Education 45.8% 90.3% 89.9% 51.2%

Bhilwara Karauli 45.9% 27.1% 68.9% 85.1% 78.3% Bundi Primary Barmer 57.7% 55.8% Pali 87.2% 45.2% 52.3% Jalor Baran 77.6% 35.5% 54.1% Sirohi 12.4% 87.5% 71.9% 21.1% Udaipur 63.9% Dhaulpur 53.2% Kota 53.0% Secondary 56.7% 87.4% 74.5% Dungarpur Pratapgarh Sawai Madhopur 72.9% 46.3% 52.5% 89.8% 82.5% Chittorgarh 77.7% 78.7% 61.2% 7.8% 85.0% Married before 18 Rajsamand Banswara Jhalawar Unmarried 75.3% 60.9% 42.4% Higher 92.5% 74.6% 82.6%

Husband's Age: Findings show that child marriage is not only aecting the girls' well-being but also that of the husbands. In 24 out of the 33 districts in Rajasthan, more than 40% of husbands were under the age of 21 years. Children Born to Child Brides Pregnancy Amongst Child Brides Further analysis of number of children born to child brides2 reveals that 18.4% of child brides had one child, In the context of child marriage, it is important to study while 3.2% of them had two or more children. The when these child brides gave birth to their rst child. pattern of children born amongst child brides diers Research in this area has revealed that child marriage is across dierent districts in Rajasthan. Findings reveal usually associated with teenage pregnancy. Amongst married girls aged 15 to 19 years in Rajasthan, 21.6% of the that there are 18 districts where more than 20% of sample girls are found to have given birth to at least one child brides have one child or more. child, according to NFHS-4.

Nagaur Percentage of Child Brides and Age at First Child Birth 26.2% 0.4% 0.6% 0.8% 5.6% 13.6% 28.0% 37.2% 13.9% Sikar Bikaner Bharatpur 22.9% Jhunjhunun 21.1% 30.6% 40.7% Jaipur Jaisalmer 37.5% Churu 44.8% 28.9% Age: Alwar 12 & 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 below 23.4% Pali 22.2% Karauli Girls' Body Mass Index 33.5% It is also important to examine the health status of the girls who Jalor Dhaulpur 21.5% Sirohi 43.9% had early marriages. Analysis of Body Mass Index shows that in 28.0% Sawai Madhopur 17 districts in Rajasthan, more than 40% of girls married before Dungarpur 46.0% 23.1% 18 were underweight (below 18.5 kg/m²). Some of these districts Banswara Dausa are Dungarpur (70.0%), Pali (57.1%), Bikaner (58.5%), Ajmer 27.6% 29.0% (52.8%) and Chittorgarh (53.8%). 2 Girls married before 18 years 5 CONCLUSION As per NFHS-4 (2015-16), 16.2% of the 15-19 years old related to child marriage amongst girls in Rajasthan. girls were married before the age of 18 years in Poorer the households, higher the chance of girls Rajasthan, with variations across districts. getting married early. There are 12 districts in Rajasthan that show higher Educational attainment of girls is directly correlated prevalence of child marriage than the State average. to child marriage. Prevalence of child marriage amongst girls is found Child marriage leads to early pregnancy which is to be more common in rural areas than urban areas. likely to cause poor health status of teenage Wealth index of the households is signicantly mothers. CHILD MARRIAGE AND TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN RAJASTHAN AT A GLANCE

In every district, more than 60% of the total child marriages amongst girls took place in rural areas and 8 out of 33 districts had more than 95% of child marriages reported in rural areas.

The completion rate of secondary education amongst girls (15-19 years) who got married before the legal age was 57.3%, whereas the completion rate was signicantly higher (82.1%) amongst unmarried girls of the same age group.

In 17 districts more than 40% of the girls married before 18 were found to be underweight.

21.6% child brides (15-19 years) had already given birth. Amongst these child brides 18.4% had one child and 3.2% had two children or more.

Supported by: In collaboration with

RSCPCR

Young Lives Mezzanine Floor, 47, Community Centre, Friends Colony, New Delhi 110065 This factsheet has been prepared by Young Lives Website: www.younglives-india.org Research to Policy Centre, New Delhi, India. Email: [email protected]

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