The deadline to achieve the goal of eradicating child marriage by 2030 is approaching. On the occasion of International Day of the Girl, child rights experts warned that although the rate of child marriage in India has significantly decreased, the situation still raises serious concerns.
According to statistical data, one-third of all minors globally are from India. In the country, one in five minors still marries before reaching the age of 18. Meanwhile, the number of child marriage cases in the country has decreased from about 50 percent in 1996 to around 20 percent.
However, specialists note that judgments cannot be based solely on general national figures. More than half of all registered child marriage cases in the country involve only five states: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. Conversely, territories such as Kerala and Lakshadweep demonstrate significantly better results in this area.
Sintia MacKeefree, a UNICEF India representative, emphasized that this year's theme for the International Day of the Girl is 'End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls' Rights.' She noted that this requires continuous investment in the education, health, safety, and skill development of young girls. Although India has made progress in promoting children' rights, this progress can be accelerated by strengthening the voice, decision-making ability, and participation of girls.
According to UNICEF data, over 224 million women aged 20 to 24 in India married before the age of 17. Of these, more than 90 million girls were married before the age of 15. Globally, a child marriage occurs every three seconds.
Pooja Marwah, CEO of CRY (Child Rights and You), pointed out that despite the impressive decline in child marriage rates, national average statistics conceal significant differences between states and between rural and urban areas. She stated that this is not just a matter of legislation but a violation of basic girls' rights, which restricts their access to education, health, and economic activity.
Ravi Kant, national coordinator for 'Just Rights for Children' (JRC), noted that while government programs have contributed to improving the situation, this practice persists among poor families. He explained that the poorest segments of the population often rush to marry off their daughters due to the inability to provide them with proper care. Therefore, the success of social welfare government programs is crucial.
Indian law strictly prohibits marriage before the age of 18 for a girl and before the age of 21 for a boy according to the 'Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.' Under the 'Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023' (BNS), any sexual relations with a wife younger than 18 years are classified as rape. Experts and social organizations believe that the goal of completely eradicating child marriage by 2030 is achievable provided there is involvement of local administrations and panchayats at the grassroots level, as well as ensuring direct access to the most lagging communities.