Childhood: sold, silenced, stolen
In Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, child marriage persists as families grapple with fears over girls’ safety and so-called honour. Poverty and migration add to the problem, while predators, weak institutions, and a marriage market deepen their vulnerability. Radheshyam Jadhav follows girls and women caught in this cycle and those fighting to break it through education and independence
Kirti, a teenager, is haunted by nightmares of a forced marriage. In Marathwada, Maharashtra, child marriage is common, driven by concerns over safety, family honor, migration, and economic insecurity. Activists argue that weak institutional protection and a growing marriage market exploit vulnerable families. Despite laws and government campaigns, child marriage remains a persistent problem, often leading to violence, abandonment, and girls returning to their homes to raise the next generation.
Kirti lives with her maternal grandparents, Suman and Achyut Ovhal, in Kathoda, 27 kilometers from Beed district. Suman was married at 13 and had four daughters and a son. Most children born to underage mothers are not delivered in medical institutions. Suman and her husband migrate to work as sugarcane cutters during the six-month season, leaving their daughters at home.
Kirti's mother, Chaya, has been living with her parents due to marital disputes, while her husband leaves her. Kirti has witnessed her mother's domestic violence and is reluctant to discuss marriage. Chaya blames her mother for not allowing her to finish school, but is unsure if she can prevent Kirti from studying. The government aims to reduce child marriage by 10% by 2026, but Achyut believes that addressing the issue also requires tackling predators who force parents to marry their daughters early.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
