Lounging on a charpoy in Pasiyapur, the former pradhan says that all its 60 pasi families have at least one son working away.

Sapana Pradhan Malla, a member of Nepal's Constituent Assembly, says the laws in place to protect women should be enforced.

For families in poverty, marrying a daughter early can mean lower dowry payments and one less mouth to feed (Bhat, Sen, &Pradhan, 2005, p. 16).