Millions spent on child-marriage prevention in Sudurpaschim, but the practice endures
Sudurpaschim has allocated over Rs12 million to anti-child-marriage programmes in the past five years, yet child marriages remain common across the province.
Interviews with women in Doti illustrate how early marriage disrupts schooling and creates financial dependence, with some experiencing abuse. Police records list just 36 child-marriage cases between fiscal 2020-21 and 2025-26, yet the 2021 census reveals that 29.1 % of marriages in Sudurpaschim involve minors, highlighting a large reporting gap. The provincial Ministry of Social Development has spent Rs12.87008 million on programmes like parenting workshops, school peer education and religious-leader dialogues, but officials admit no baseline or impact metrics exist.
Senior Superintendent Padam Bahadur Bista notes community indifference hampers reporting, while Bideshram Chaudhary points to a rise in self-initiated marriages via social media. NGOs, including PeaceWin, invest over Rs10 million annually and claim to have prevented dozens of unions, yet they also lack systematic evaluations. The province plans to involve local governments more directly in future efforts.
Why it matters
Child marriage limits education and economic opportunities, affecting millions of girls and their communities.
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