There are 290 million child brides in South Asia, representing 45% of the global total. The Indian government seeks to eradicate this scourge before 2026 through stricter laws.
The practice has been exacerbated by increased financial pressures on families due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The latest data released this month by UNICEF points directly to the pandemic as responsible for the rise of a practice that remains deeply entrenched in many places. In the new most populous country in the world, India, more than a million and a half underage girls marry every year.