Child Marriage

General Studies Paper -1

Context: The Lancet study highlighted that Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra accounted for more than half of the total headcount burden of child marriages in girls.

Child Marriage in India

• According to National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) 2019-21, women in the age group of 20-24 years who were married before they turned 18, are 14.7% in urban and 27% in rural areas.
• Women aged 15-19 years who were already mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey were 3.8% (urban) and 7.9% (rural).
• The largest absolute increase in headcount was observed in West Bengal.

Impact of Child Marriage

• Physical Health: Child brides often face complications during pregnancy and childbirth due to their immature bodies. This increases the risk of maternal and infant mortality.
• Education: Once married, girls are less likely to continue their formal education, limiting their opportunities for personal and economic development.
• Gender Inequality: Child marriage is often rooted in gender inequality, reinforcing traditional gender roles and norms.
  • Boys can also be affected, as they may face pressure to assume adult responsibilities at an early age, impacting their own personal development and well-being.
• Violence and Abuse: Lack of legal protection and social support may leave child brides trapped in abusive situations without recourse.
• Reproductive Rights: Child brides may have limited control over their reproductive rights, including family planning and the number and spacing of their children.
• Cycle of Poverty: Child marriage is often linked to poverty, creating a cycle where poverty leads to child marriage, and child marriage perpetuates poverty by limiting education and economic opportunities.

Measures Taken by Government of India to Eliminate Child Marriage

• Legal Framework: The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, is a dedicated legal framework aimed at preventing and prohibiting child marriages in India.
  • It sets the legal age of marriage as 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys.
  • The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) undertakes various activities and programmes from time to time with concerned stakeholders/ organizations such as representatives of Child Welfare Committees (CWC), Police, Women and Child Development Department on the issue of child marriages and related matters.
• Support Services and Helplines: Government of India has introduced CHILDLINE 1098, a 24X7 telephone emergency outreach service for children in crisis, which responds with suitable interventions to calls for any form of assistance which a child requires, including for prevention of child marriages
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme: Launched in 2015, this national initiative focuses on improving the status of girls and addressing issues such as female foeticide, child marriage, and gender-based discrimination.
  • It emphasizes the importance of education and encourages the protection and empowerment of girls.
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): The ICDS program, among other objectives, aims to improve the nutritional and health status of children, including those at risk of child marriage.
  • It provides a range of services, including health check-ups, immunization, and nutrition support, to address the overall well-being of children.
• National Plan of Action for Children 2016: The National Plan of Action for Children outlines the government’s commitment to child welfare and includes strategies to prevent child marriages.
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): SSA is an ongoing program aimed at providing universal access to quality elementary education.
  • By promoting education for all children, including girls, the government aims to address one of the root causes of child marriage – lack of education.
• Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA): SABLA targets adolescent girls (11-18 years) and aims to empower them through education, life skills training, and nutrition support.
  • By focusing on the holistic development of adolescent girls, the scheme aims to prevent early marriage.
• Awareness Campaigns: The government, along with non-governmental organizations, conducts awareness campaigns to educate communities about the harmful effects of child marriage.

Conclusion

• Child marriage had declined nationally, prevalence of girl child marriage decreased from 49 percent in 1993 to 22 percent in 2021.
• Prevalence of boy child marriage came down from 7 percent in 2006 to 2 percent in 2021.
• Continuous efforts are required to address deep-rooted social norms, improve access to education, and enhance the economic opportunities for girls to eliminate the practice of child marriage in India.