Himachal Pradesh Assembly passes bill raising marriage age for women from 18 to 21 | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Himachal Pradesh Assembly passes bill raising marriage age for women from 18 to 21

Posted 28 Aug 2024

2 min read

Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment Bill 2024) proposes to amend The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and related acts in the State.

  • Earlier, in June 2024, a Central bill ‘Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ lapsed in Lok Sabha which aimed to bring uniformity in the age of marriage for men and women.
  • 2021 Bill was based on recommendations of Jaya Jaitley Committee

Benefits of Raising age of Marriage for Women 

  • Secure Constitutional mandate of Gender Equality: Age for marriage for men is 21 years 
  • Reproductive Health: improved physical and psychological health through lower maternal mortality rate, bringing down teenage pregnancies
  • Women Empowerment : Better education and employment outcomes
  • Helps in achieving SDG5 (Gender Equality), SDG10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Concerns 

  • Illegal Marriages: May push a portion of the population into non-institutional marriages
  • Negatively impact marginalized communities with high prevalence of marriage at lower ages
  • Misuse by Parents: to control daughter’s choice, may give rise to meta-son preference, female foeticide.
  • Does not address the social and cultural patriarchal norms

Other steps that can be taken

  • Formalisation of Sex education in the school curriculum
  • Formulation of specific programmes for girl’s health and nutrition 

Historical perspectives related to age of marriage in India

  • The Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929/(Sarda Act): Fixed marriage age for girls at 14 years and 18 years for boys.
  • Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006: Replaced 1929 Act to prohibit solemnisation of child marriages raising age to 18 for bride and 21 for groom.
  • Tags :
  • Child Marriage
  • Marriageable age for girls
  • Age of Marriage
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