How Girls’ Education Plays a Key Role in Preventing Early Marriage Across India. India is known for having one of the highest numbers of child marriages. There are many reasons why parents marry off their daughters at an early age. Usually, the age of a girl is much less than the boy or man she is marrying. Education is very important to prevent marriage for many reasons. If you want to know more about the topic “How Girls’ Education Plays a Key Role in Preventing Early Marriage Across India”, please read the complete blog.
How Girls’ Education Plays a Key Role in Preventing Early Marriage Across India
Child marriage is a social evil, and it affects girls and boys, but it disproportionately affects girls. Education plays a significant role in preventing early marriages. Child marriage has a negative impact on the life of a girl and her family. It violates children’s rights to education, health, and protection. Girls’ education and child marriage are both linked to each other. Girls are married at an early age and they drop out of school. This is because people think that there is no need to educate a girl if she has to do household chores.
To prevent this, girls should be kept in school not only in primary but also in secondary. On average, the likelihood of a girl marrying as a child is six percentage points less for every additional year she stays in secondary education. Education provides empowerment to girls and the knowledge to differentiate between right and wrong. If girls educate themselves and earn, they can also contribute to the expenses of the household.
Role of Girl Education in Preventing Child Marriage
Secondary Education
Secondary education plays a major role in preventing child marriage. Girls who stay in school are less likely to marry young and more likely to pursue their dreams of personal growth and monetary independence. Educated girls are less likely to marry at a small age. Providing education to girls will increase their knowledge and awareness about their rights. Girls’ education helps young girls understand the responsibilities of marriage and childbearing.
Reduces Financial Pressure
Education for a girl will help in her getting a job or starting a business. If the girl also earns in the family, it will reduce the financial pressure. Also, an earning girl is considered a valuable asset by the family and not just an economic burden. Education raises the value and potential of a girl. Many parents marry their daughters due to poverty. Every additional year of schooling increases a girl’s income potential, further reducing the requirement for early marriage.
Gender Equality
Most of the early marriages are due to gender inequality. The girls are often considered an economic burden and as soon as she gets married, the responsibility of parents is over. This is why gender equality should be promoted. Education is the most important fundamental for restructuring these gendered norms and inequalities. Those who work for and in schools, such as those who create and implement curricula, can actively work to dispel gender stereotypes and discriminatory practices in society at large and encourage boys, girls, and teenagers to follow suit.
Intergenerational Impact
Girls who are educated and are against early marriages will become mothers and guide their daughters about what she learnt. She will tell her to study and will do all possible tasks to delay her marriage keeping her safe and educated. This intergenerational impact will further go on and will benefit the whole society.
Causes of Early Marriage
There are many reasons due to which family prefers early marriage. They are:
Culture and Tradition: This is the most common reason for early marriage. The traditional norms and cultural beliefs are seen as a way to maintain social status.
Poverty: Many people in rural areas marry their daughter at an early age, as it will reduce the financial burden on them.
Low Status of Girls: Girls are often given lower status in society and considered to be wives and daughters to do domestic duties.
Family Honour: The girl is said to be impure if she had an affair before marriage. To prevent this, girls are married early to save family honour.
Lack of Education: Lack of education in parents forces them to marry their daughter under the pressure of society instead of providing them education. Uneducated girl children often don’t realise what is happening to them.