On her wedding day, Krishna was just 11 and her husband Gopal Kishan, 13. Today, at the age of 14, she’s mother of a four months old boy. Krishna nearly died in childbirth and had to be hospitalized for days following the delivery. Gopal describes his wife’s recovery as “nothing less than a miracle.” Gopal, who wanted to have a child and risk his young wife’s life “because of boredom”, now regularly comes home drunk as he hasn’t got any work, as the soybean fields which his family owns are not that fertile now.
Although the legal age for marriage in India is 18, the law remains a farce as 40% of the world’s child marriages occur in India. Although the UN has been working hand in hand with the government of India to raise awareness, strengthen law enforcement and invest in the education of girls, many of our leaders still consider child marriage as a solution to protect girls from sexual atrocities like rape. These heart-breaking photos throw light on the social evil of child marriage through the life of Krishna and her husband.
I – Word Understanding
Nearly died – almost died
Delivery – childbirth
Boredom – The state of feeling bored
Not fertile – unable of producing abundant vegetation or crops
Farce – unexpected
Raise awareness – to be conscious of the situation
Strengthen law enforcement – to make the law stronger or severe
Invest in the education – Give more education opportunities
Atrocities – An extremely wicked or cruel act
II – Have your say
1.Girls who marry between the ages of 10 and 14 are five times as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth as women in their early 20s.
2.Poor families sell their children into marriage either to settle debts or to make some money and escape the cycle of poverty.
