Imagine yourself in grade nine, and someone asks you a question: What do you think your life will look like in the next ten years? What would you draw?
Recently, when we conducted this activity with students in one of our schools, what we saw was hard to fully grasp.
Some sketches were full of hope. Girls drew pictures of themselves as teachers, doctors, nurses, and artists. But some drawings were more sombre. Girls quietly drew images of sad faces, veils, wedding ceremonies, children in their arms, and mouths shut tight.
One girl, her voice barely above a whisper, said, “Hamari toh shaadi ho jayegi jaldi” (I'll be married off soon).
These sketches reflect a harsh reality many adolescent girls face, particularly in rural areas. While many of us talk about empowering our daughters, too many are still married off at ages as young as 12 to 18. Society often asks, “What’s the point of educating a girl?” instead of saying, let's educate her and make her self-dependent.
We all know this, and yet it is worth reiterating that girls can achieve incredible things when given the right opportunities.
Early marriage doesn’t just limit adequate education. It often leads to teenage pregnancy. A young girl, barely in her teens and encountering menstruation and puberty, is expected to become a mother when her body is not yet ready.
The numbers speak volumes. According to the National Family Health Survey data (2019-21), 22.3% of girls in India were married before turning 18, and 6.8% experienced teenage pregnancies[1]. Additionally, the Ministry of State for Education reports that, in 2020-21, the dropout rate for girls at the secondary level (Class 9-10) was 13.7% [2].
Early marriage and teenage pregnancies rob girls of freedom, health, and dreams. These young girls face severe health complications like maternal mortality, emotional trauma, malnutrition, anaemia, and hormonal imbalances. Many also experience mental health challenges like anxiety and depression, which often go unspoken. The absence of female doctors and appropriate healthcare facilities further prevents them from seeking help, leaving them isolated, confused, and uninformed.
In many communities, poverty drives child marriages. Families struggling to meet daily needs often see early marriage as a way to ease their burden. Gender norms frequently portray girls as “burdens,” and marrying them off is seen as a way to reduce that responsibility. Many parents see marriage as their ultimate responsibility towards their daughters—sooner rather than later. Parents also worry about their daughters’ safety, fearing harassment and societal judgment. They believe that marriage will offer protection from potential societal shame.
However, this choice, often made out of hardship and not necessarily neglect, strips girls of their future. It keeps them trapped in poverty and keeps the cycle of malnutrition and inequality going.
The solutions may not be easy, but they are possible, and it all starts with us. It begins with awareness.
At ZealGrit, we conduct activity-led sessions with girls in schools, providing them with a safe, non-judgmental space to express themselves. In these sessions, girls share their dreams, fears, challenges, and enablers, often discussing sensitive topics that are rarely talked about. We also engage with schools, parents, and communities to talk openly about early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and reproductive health. We discuss why delaying marriage matters and how education can break this cycle.
Simple steps like spacing between pregnancies and access to contraception (freely available at government healthcare facilities and Anganwadi centres) can protect both the mother and the future child.
At ZealGrit, we believe that empowering girls is about sensitizing their ecosystem. It’s about ensuring they can dream, learn, and thrive, regardless of their circumstances.
We are also aware that the solution isn’t just about girls; we will soon begin engaging with adolescent boys as well.
But we can’t do this alone. If you believe in this cause, support us. Share our work on social media and visit our "Support Us" page. Together, we can create a world where no girl child has to choose between marriage and a future full of opportunities.
[2] https://theprint.in/india/education/school-dropout-rate-among-girls-gone-down-in-4-yrs-says-modi-govt-claims-credit-for-schemes/1058396/