Understanding the Intersectionality of Girl Child Marriage in India through the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS) Data: Current Trends in High Prevalence States

This article examines girl child marriage in India through an intersectional lens, moving beyond single factor explanations to consider how caste, religion, education, wealth, and place of residence jointly shape early marriage outcomes. Using National Family Health Survey 5 data from 2019 to 2021, the analysis focuses on five high-prevalence states, West Bengal, Bihar, Tripura, Assam, and Jharkhand, and draws on a sample of women aged 20 to 24 who were married before the age of 18. Descriptive analysis highlights a steady national decline in child marriage over recent decades, while also revealing sharp regional and social disparities that persist beneath this overall progress. The findings show that girls from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, those with limited education, those from poorer households, and those living in rural areas face a markedly higher risk of early marriage. Religious identity further intersects with local economic and cultural contexts, producing varied patterns across states. Taken together, the study underscores that child marriage in India is sustained by overlapping social and economic disadvantages, suggesting that policy responses must address these interconnected conditions rather than treating early marriage as an isolated cultural practice.