Inanimate Plight of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act Among the Tribals in Madurai District of Tamil Nadu

This study investigates the persistent practice of child marriage and its influencing factors among tribal communities in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu, particularly focusing on their awareness of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA). Employing a survey of 108 tribal respondents, the findings reveal significant unawareness, with 78 (72.2%) respondents uninformed about the Act. A high prevalence of early marriage was observed, with 89 (82.4%) reporting marriage between 9 and 18 years of age. Key contributing factors identified include their demanding livelihood activities (e.g., forest collection) and the perception of a girl child as an economic burden, often leading to an inability to adequately protect female offspring. The study concludes that the ineffectiveness of the PCMA in this context is exacerbated by low awareness and socio-economic vulnerabilities. Therefore, it is recommended that government interventions under the Act be expanded to include provisions for improving the tribal community’s standard of living, fostering sustainable income generation and implementing targeted awareness campaigns to truly safeguard girl children.