Ending Child Marriage by Breaking the Intergenerational Cycle of Exploitation

Updated: Jun 22, 2026 16:45 pm IST Published On Jun 22, 2026 15:57 pm IST Last Updated On Jun 22, 2026 16:45 pm IST

Published On Jun 22, 2026 15:57 pm IST

Last Updated On Jun 22, 2026 16:45 pm IST

In discussing children's and women's rights, it's difficult not to recognise that they aren't isolated principles but rather interwoven components within a larger and interconnected framework. Child and women exploitation mostly operate as a bouquet of rights infringements rather than a single and isolated issue. This blend of exploitation begins early, often from childhood, and continues into adulthood. Their effects continue to ripple across generations. Poverty and lack of access aside, gender discrimination and restrictive societal norms play equally crucial roles in driving these cycles, leaving communities entrenched in a spiral of marginalisation.

Poverty exacerbates child marriages and dowry practices. In impoverished communities, girls tend to be married off at an early age to alleviate financial burdens from the reeling families. Child marriage is both a symptom and a cause of continued poverty. Once married, a young girl is unlikely to receive further education or vocational training. This further limits her capacity to contribute economically to households where only one earning member, mostly the husband, supports the entire family. As a result, the economic pressures are significant and increase as the family grows.

Moreover, this single-earning structure is precarious. If any misfortune, such as an illness, disability, or job loss, befalls the breadwinner, the family's financial stability crumbles. Women are predominantly relegated to domestic roles, which makes it challenging for them to........

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