Issue of Child Marriages in India

Context

• Recently, research by Young Lives in coordination with National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) revealed that Rajasthan has reported the highest incidence of child marriages.
• The study was revealed by Justice A.K. Sikri of the Supreme Court.

Highlights of the Report

• The study based on 2011 Census, stated that 2.5% of marriages of minor girls were reported in Rajasthan.
• The other states with a high incidence of marriages of girls below the legal age are Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
• Rajasthan also topped in the percentage of boys marrying below the legal age of 21 (4.69%).
• No marriage below 10 years of age was reported across the country.
• According to the Census study, 12.9% of girls got married at the age of 10-17 years and 43.6% between 18-20 years.
• However, only 4.9% of boys got married in the 10-17 years age group and 11.2 % in the 18-below 21 age group.
• The study shows a minor decline of 0.1% in the marriage of minor girls.
• The decline in rural India, between 2001 and 2011 Census was marginally higher than in the whole of the country.
• However, the incidence of child marriage among girls increased substantially in urban India from 1.78% in 2001 to 2.45% in 2011.

Incentives and Schemes provided by the Government of India to end child marriage

• Dhan Laxmi scheme
• Apni Beti Apna Dhan Programme- conditional cash transfer program which aims at delaying early marriages of girls
• Kishori Shakti Yojna
• India as a member of the South Asian Initiative to End Violence against Children (SAIEVAC) adopted a regional plan to end child marriage.
• India is a part of UNFPA and UNICEF’s Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage.

Suggestions to combat the menace

• Extending educational infrastructure especially in rural areas. Education for girls at least up to secondary level should be provided
• Addressing the issue of gender biases
• Extensive awareness and gender sensitization programs.
• Empowering young people to criticize the existing social norms.
• Integration of existing child laws in India.
• Effective implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (2006).
• Consistency between personal laws and The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act should be established.