India: More than 4,800 people arrested for child marriages

In Assam, a northeastern state of India, police have arrested over 4,800 individuals as part of a crackdown on child marriages. This weekend alone, 416 more people were taken into custody, according to Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Those arrested include both the parents of children forced into marriage and the registrars who certify these unions.

In Assam, stricter measures against child marriages were introduced at the start of 2023. During his election campaign, Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pledged to fully eradicate child marriages in the state.

While the number of child marriages in India has significantly declined, the practice persists. According to the United Nations, over 200 million children worldwide are married. In India, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that more than one million children are forced into marriage each year, particularly in the poorest rural regions.

Child marriages are often seen by parents as a way to improve their economic situation. However, these illegal marriages are deeply harmful to children, leading to severe physical and mental consequences.

In 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that sexual relations with children under the age of 18 can be considered marital rape. The court acknowledged that child marriages severely impact girls, affecting every aspect of their lives and violating their fundamental rights.

According to a 2022 UN study, 32% of women aged 20-24 in Assam were married before reaching the legal age of adulthood, and fewer than 40% of adolescents attended school.