Child Marriages

This article sheds light on the India’s efforts to eradicate child marriage to make child marriage-free nation by 2029.

What is Child Marriage?

• Child marriage refers to the marriage of a girl or boy before they turn 18.
• Types: It includes:
  • Formal Marriages: Legal or traditional ceremonies binding children in marriage.
  • Informal Unions: Situations where children under 18 live with a partner as though they are married.

Status of India’s Progress Against Child Marriage

• Significant Decline: Child marriages in India have halved since 2006, from 47.4% to 23.3% in 2019-21.
• Preventive Measures: Around 2 lakh child marriages were prevented in the past year.
• Global Trend: India is a significant contributor to the global decline in child marriage rates, especially in South Asia.
• Persistent Challenge: Despite progress, one in five girls in India still married before 18.

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Factors Leading to Child Marriage in India

• Lack of Education: Limited education for girls reduces their awareness and opportunities, making them more vulnerable to early marriages.
• Perception of Girls as a Burden: Girls are often seen as financial liabilities in many families as the practice of dowry perpetuates early marriage.

• Social and Cultural Factors: Child marriages are more common in rural areas and among marginalized communities like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
• Gender Inequality: Limited opportunities and discrimination against girls push families toward early marriages as a means of security.

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Legislative Framework Related to Child Marriage in India

Legislative Framework

• Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006: This act prohibits the solemnization of child marriages and provides mechanisms to prevent and address them.
  • It sets the legal age for marriage at 18 for females and 21 for males.
  • Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929: The earlier act aimed to restrain child marriages but was replaced by the PCMA, 2006.
• Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000: It defines  a child as a person below 18 years of age.
  • The act focuses on preventing and addressing juvenile delinquency.
  • It provides guidelines for protecting, treating, and rehabilitating children.
  • It ensures proper care and support for children within the juvenile justice system.
• International Commitments: India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and has committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to eliminate child marriage by 2030.

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Government’s Initiatives

• Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyan: The government launched the ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ (Child Marriage-Free India) campaign to further combat child marriages.
  • Focus Areas:
    • Seven high-burden states: West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh.
    • Nearly 300 districts where child marriage rates exceed the national average.
  • Goal: Reduce child marriage rates to below 5% by 2029.
• UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage.
• Child Marriage Free Bharat Portal: A platform for awareness, reporting cases, and monitoring progress.
• Encouraging Community Participation: Gram Panchayats preventing child marriages will receive a ₹50,000 reward.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme: Launched in 2015, this initiative focuses on saving and educating the girl child, thereby addressing the root causes of child marriage.
• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Promotes education for girls, which is crucial in preventing child marriages.