An increase in forced marriages in confinement

The welfare official is concerned about a dramatic increase in forced marriages during confinement in India.

Recently, India has experienced an increase in forced unions recently, particularly in Tiruvannamalai which experienced more than 40 years during the month of June. Christina Dorthy, district social welfare officer, says it is the highest figure the region has known: "The highest we have ever seen. " she worries before adding to Vice : "Covid-19 provided the perfect breeding ground for this social evil to thrive "

Authorities deplore this alarming figure and also question the containment and the Covid-19. The health crisis is said to have led to an increase in unemployment. In addition, it is one of the main factors which aggravate this phenomenon and generate forced marriages within the country. Ghasiram Panda, National Program Director Ending Child Marriage explain that "Migrants who were employed in small industries are now unemployed and returned to their hometown. " Once back in their home province, they are therefore faced with family pressure and, very often, forced marriage.

What we are seeing right now is just the tip of the iceberg

If the figures are worrying and that around forty forced marriages were recorded during the month of June in Tiruvannamalai, the real number of forced marriages would remain difficult to know. Communication with the outside of forcibly married people is very often restricted. Chezhian Ramu, children's rights activist, is concerned about this scourge because the figures could be much higher than it seems: "There could be ten times more incidents without our knowing it, because children's mobility and communication are restricted. They will no longer be able to confide in their teachers or friends, which was the case before. "

In 2019, a report from the United Nations International Fund stated that one in three minors in the forced marriage world lived in India.

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Video by Clara Poudevigne