Lack of Economic Opportunities and Persistence of Child Marriage in West Bengal. (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chakravarty, Deepita
• Is Part Of: Indian journal of gender studies. Volume 25:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: 180
• Page End: 204
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: Girl children -- underage marriage -- women's work participation -- new work opportunities -- domestic service -- West Bengal -- India; Women's studies -- India -- Periodicals; Women in development -- India -- Periodicals; 305.40954
• DOI: 10.1177/0971521518761430
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0971-5215

Abstract

West Bengal (WB) ranks high among the 15 major states of India, where there is still a disturbing persistence of underage marriage among girls, leading to early motherhood as a consequence. The article explores the reasons for this in the context of social and economic conditions in the state. The article argues that more than poverty and illiteracy, the unavailability of new employment opportunities for women and girls in the rural and urban areas of the state explains why parents do not have the incentive to invest in more schooling or the higher education of their daughters. The article is mainly based on secondary data with occasional references to some primary evidence from a recent survey done by the author.