INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, JULY 5Despite the National Civil (Code) Act, 2017, 70 (1) (d), which stipulates if both boys and girls have
attained twenty years of age, they can be eligible for marriage, teenage pregnancy is rampant in Nepal.
Yosef announce divorce after 6 years of marriage
SC interim order legalises
same sex marriage in Nepal
However, when
guardians arrange the marriage of their teenage daughter, there is nothing she can do
Higher teenage pregnancy rates in developing countries are seen in economically disadvantaged and dysfunctional families and among teenagers
who are not doing well in school.Teenage mothers are those who deliver baby before reaching 20 years.
According to GIRLS
NOT BRIDES, 33 per cent of Nepali girls are married before their 18th birthday and 8 per cent are married before the age of 15
Nine per cent Nepali boys are married before they are 18.As per the law, the legal age of marriage for girls is eighteen years with parental
consent and twenty years without parental consent.The 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey key indicators report depicts that overall,
14 per cent girls aged 15-19 have become pregnant, including 10 per cent who have given live birth
Two per cent have had pregnancy loss, and 4 per cent are currently pregnant.The percentage of women aged 15-19 who have become pregnant
rises with age, from 1 per cent at age 15 to 32 per cent by 19.Teenage pregnancy is highest in Karnali Province (21 per cent), followed by
Madhes Province (20 per cent), and lowest in Bagmati Province (8 per cent)
Women aged 15-19 with no education (33 per cent) are more likely to start childbearing earlier than those with at least some secondary
education (8 per cent).Likewise, the NDHS report also indicates that the percentage of women 15- 19 who have begun child bearing by caste
group is highest among Muslims 22 per cent followed by Dalit (20.7 per cent), Madhesi (13.5 per cent), and Janajati (12.9 per cent)
Whilst Brahmins and Chhetris have the least teenage pregnancy rate at 7.8 per cent.Illiteracy and poverty are key factors leading to early
This increases the likelihood of adolescent pregnancies
Strong family pressure to beget a son within a year of marriage in a society where early pregnancy is perceived to have successful outcomes,
leaves the female under undue stress."The worrying thing is it is more prevalent among the less educated, impoverished people
This makes them more vulnerable during pregnancy and endangers girls' lives," said Public Health Expert and HERD International MD Dr Sushil
"This is absolutely preventable," said Baral, adding, "Changing community norms to address issues such as early marriage and other barriers
that lead to the early pregnancy is necessary
It requires a holistic community approach such as focusing on education, addressing the level of poverty, and enhancing knowledge of
pregnancy."Society designates an unmarried teenage girl a minor and immature, but after she is married she gets the rights and privileges of
an adult.Besides illiteracy, there are social obstacles that deter adolescent girls from seeking medical contraception
It is stigmatising for a female to carry a condom or contraceptive
Moreover, if the female requests her partner for protective sex, she may be blamed for infidelity
Desire for virgin brides is another reason for teenage marriages and subsequent pregnancies.Societal tradition and legal practice are
A girl less than 18 years is legally barred from having a driving licence as she is considered a minor, but she can become pregnant in her
family and she is treated as an adult.Thus, pregnancy among teenagers is mostly unplanned and forced rather than a matter of choice.A
version of this article appears in the print on July 6, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com
