In South Asia, coronavirus and poverty are forcing girls as young as 8 into marriage
"Soon after my sister goes to her husband's house, my parents will make sure I get married," said Manju, a Class 12 student who got engaged when she was barely 12.
Their father, who used to earn about 15,000 Indian rupees (S$275) per month by cooking in weddings, was left with no work after the Covid-19 lockdown was announced in March last year. The family had to exhaust its savings of 50,000 rupees and sell milk just to survive.
During the lockdown, Manju's parents discussed her marriage, but they didn't have enough cash.
