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Photo: (Photo : Michael Mims/ Unsplash )
The pandemic lockdown was called for to prevent spreading the coronavirus. But as jobs are lost in places already struggling with poverty, many teenage girls have to pay for survival.
Asia: Thousands of Child Marriages Amid Pandemic Lockdown
In Bangladesh, child protection authorities tried to stop a child marriage that would take place at 8:30. The parents blamed the COVID-19 crisis for their decision. Child protection officials counseled the family, who in turn promised not to marry off the child, only to proceed with the marriage at 2 am.
In India, harsh lockdowns caused millions of job loss particularly with impoverished migrants. In just 4 months (March to June) lockdown, ChildLine India reported 5, 214 child marriages. But the organization claims there are more cases not reported.