Forced Early Marriages in Rural Gautam Buddha Nagar: A Case Study on Societal Pressures, Consequences, and Solutions

Uttar Pradesh, one of the most populous states, establishes a complex sociocultural landscape, especially in rural areas. Early marriage is any formal marriage or informal union between a child under 18 and an adult or another child, which is prevalent in many rural communities of Gautam Budh Nagar district where traditional practices often outweigh legal regulations. Early marriage impeds girls, education, psychological well-being, and health. This practice inevitably denies young women of school age the right to the education necessary for personal development, preparation for adulthood, and effective contribution to the future well-being of family and society. Each year around 70,000 girls die in labor since their bodies are not mature enough for childbearing, World Health Organization (2024). and UNICEF, (2012). Child or early marriage is a global issue fuelled by gender inequality, poverty, social norms, cultural traditions, lack of awareness, and insecurity. To revert this, education and self-consciousness among women about their rights are crucial in mitigating incidences of early marriage UNICEF (2024). This means enhancing access to quality education for girls while at the same time enlightening communities in rural areas to amend societal norms that enable early marriage to continue. In this study, we try to understand the causes and consequences of child marriages in rural areas and strategies to eliminate them. This study used primary and secondary data to understand the overall concept of early marriage in rural areas and find its causes and consequences. . KEYWORDS :Forced early marriages, Child marriage, Rural Gautam Buddha Nagar, Societal pressures, Gender inequality, Cultural norms, Poverty and marriage