Jubeda Khatun is nearing 70 and her daughter-in-law Joshnara Begum is in her late 20s. Though both these women belong to two different generations, they have many things in common— in her entire life Jubeda could collect just two or three sarees and Joshnara, married for more than 16 years now, does not own more than her mother-in-law. It is not difficult to conclude that Joshnara’s possessions would not increase for many years to come.

However, these superficial similarities apart, there is one singular bond that Jubeda and Joshnara has shared and that is – going through the painful experience of having to bear many children and having to bow before the pressure of getting their daughters married off at a very young age.

Complete lack of awareness about family planning and early marriage of the girl child are the twin problems faced by the women struggling to cope with the burden of their lives within the rows of huts on the Moamari embankment near Moirabari. Though the government hospital is not far from this embankment, which is not difficult to access, the family planning programmes of the Government have regrettably not reached this embankment. As is always the case, all the Government measures for family planning have missed the groups who are in real need of them.

Belonging to the minority community, these women, who do not wear blouses, cannot articulate their inner emotions, the pent-up anger and the frustration arising on account of poverty that has become an integral part of life since they lost their property in erosion and were forced to take shelter on the embankment.

Life on the embankment has never been easy, as members in each family have to endure great hardships to make a living out of fishing on the Brahmaputra or working as a daily wage labourer.

But life for the women has been more tragic than the rest. They are regarded as nothing else but machines to bear children. Jubeda has six children, four daughters and two sons. All her daughters were married off by the age of 11. Her next generation daughter-in-law Joshnara has given birth to seven children, one of whom did not survive. She has four daughters and two sons. The youngest is still suckling and she is on the way to becoming a mother again. She got her eldest daughter married off before 15 years.

When we asked Joshnara whether she wanted the yet to be born child, she was speechless. She had no idea that there was a way of not having any more children. “Is there a way of having less children?,” that was the question Joshnara asked.

The submission to a system that is unquestionable and should never be disputed was written all over Joshnara’s face. It is a woman’s duty to bear the child of her husband and she should not question it. Even if having more children meant adjusting to more penury, Joshnara, and the rest of her fraternity, has no other option. The sharp slap that Joshnara gave the child pulling at her shrivelled breasts said more than her silent face.

On the embankment where Joshnara lives, all the families have six to eight children on an average. There is a family that has a total of 14 children. There has been no intervention even by Non-Government Organisations to bring awareness amongst these women about family planning.

Early marriage of the girl child is another common feature amongst these erosion affected people. Khudeja Khatun, a widow living on this embankment, has got her three daughters married off and she is relaxed now. The eldest daughter was married off before 16, the second one at the age of 14 and the third was married off at the age of 13. “People say girls should be married soon for their own security,” this was what Khudeja had to say about her daughters.

On closer observation, one realises that Khudeja and all the women have been made to believe that girls should be married off soon by none other than the male members of their community. Interestingly, when the women were talking to this reporter, most of the male members present at the time had gathered around and were continuously interfering. It was obvious that they did not endorse their womenfolk talking freely and giving their opinions. Apart from poverty and endless childbearing that was taking a heavy toll on the health of these women, the suppression from the male members had further affected their mental well-being, forcing the women to embrace a reticent attitude – if God wills, things will change, otherwise not, these are the unspoken words of all the women.

The cycle has never been at rest – child bearing and early marriage – right from Jubeda to Joshnara and her daughters. Caught in this predicament, these women will know no respite unless Nature says the job of the womb is over.

Kabita Duarah