Summary:
“The parents offer various reasons to get their girls married when they are still minors. I got the Thayi card from an auxiliary nurse midwife,” said 16-yearold Reshma who delivered her second child a few weeks ago. TOI met about 20 girls who were either pregnant, or mothers of one or more children at the age of 16 or 17. Living in the hinterlands of Yelandur taluk , where taking one’s family business public is still unwelcome, she snuck out to tell her story. And they all had Thayi cards, issued to help them and their offspring avail of various benefits under the mater nal healthcare programme.“Child marriage is common here..