The child marriage tradition of an Indian tribe
- Published
The tradition of marrying off children continues among the Rabari tribespeople who live in Kutch region in the western state of Gujarat. The legal age for marriage in India is 18 years for women and 21 years for men. Although child marriage is on the decline, nearly a third of all wedded women were married before they had turned 18, according to census data. The practice is prevalent among all religious communities.
Photographer Fawzan Husain chronicled one such child wedding in the region. The young groom arrived at the bride's village early in the morning in a car.
Female relatives of the groom arrived in a separate van. India's government says the practice of child marriage is "an obstacle to nearly every developmental goal: eradicating poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality; protecting children’s lives; and improving women’s health".
Tired from the long journey the groom takes a nap while his father fans him. "Evidence shows that early marriage makes girls more vulnerable to violence, abuse and exploitation," according to India's government.
After the nap, it is time to get dressed for the wedding. In states like Rajasthan and Gujarat, child marriage is often strongly associated with caste and tribe membership.
The bride is brought out by her father for the wedding.
The groom waits for the bride to arrive.
The bride's friends play a game of cards as the festivities continue.
The bride sees the groom for the first time at the wedding.
Lunch is served to guests after the wedding ceremony is over. Ending child marriage by 2030 is one of United Nation's sustainable development goals. And campaigners say if that is to be achieved, dramatic change is needed in one country more than any other - India.