Delaying marriage for girls in India

This study examines the social norms surrounding child marriage, positive role models, community engagement and government-led efforts to prevent the practice in the states of Rajasthan and Bihar, which have some of the highest prevalence rates of early marriage in the country. Findings reveal that deeply entrenched norms are slowly changing through promising interventions to delay marriage and encourage girls’ education. The report also makes recommendations toward the development of an integrated intervention strategy to delay marriage for girls by enhancing girl’s access to education, empowerment, community mobilization, partnership with media and strengthening of law enforcement.

The study was undertaken by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) with the technical supervision of UNICEF India and the financial support of the European Commission.