Raising marriage age of women

• The India Child Protection Forum [ICPF] has opposed the move to raise the marriage age of women.
• ICPF is an umbrella body of child rights organisations launched by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi.
• It recently appeared before the parliamentary panel studying the Bill on raising the age of marriage for women to 21 from 18 years.

Why ICPF is against raising the age?

• Because, raising the age of marriage for women to 21 will result in criminalising young adults entering into wedlock, especially those who marry against the consent of their parents.
• It will empower the patriarchal violence against women’s autonomy” when they exercise their choice to marry.