Child Marriages

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17-Mar-2023: Policy initiative to check child marriages

In order to curb child marriages and to take punitive actions against those associated with child marriages, the Government has enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA). Section 16 of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) authorises the State Government to appoint for the whole State, or such part there of as may be specified, an officer or officers to be known as the 'Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO)' having jurisdiction over the area or areas specified in the notification. This section also specifies the functions to be discharged by CMPOs, which also include preventing solemnisation of child marriages by taking such action as they may deem fit; to collect evidence for the effective prosecution of persons contravening the provisions of the Act; to advise the individuals or counsel the residents of the locality not to indulge in promoting, helping, aiding or allowing the solemnisation of child marriages; to create awareness about the ill effects of child marriages; and to sensitize the community on the issue of child marriages. These authorities function under the respective State Governments/ UT Administrations. As such, implementation of the provisions of the Act lies with them.

Further, the Government has introduced a Bill namely 'the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Parliament on 21.12.2021 for raising the age of marriage of women to 21 years to make it at par with the men. The proposed Bill also has provisions to make consequential amendments in the enactments, inter alia, relating to age of marriage of parties, such as 'The Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872', 'The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936', 'The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937', 'The Special Marriage Act, 1954', 'The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955', and 'The Foreign Marriage Act, 1969'. The Bill has since been referred to Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports for examination.

Further, 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens, investigation and prosecution of crime against women and children including prohibition of child marriages, rest with the respective State Governments. The State Governments are competent to deal with such offenses under the extant provisions of laws.

Nevertheless, the Central Government also undertakes awareness drives, media campaigns and outreach programs and issues advisories to the States/ UTs from time to time to highlight evil effects of this practice. Further, the Ministry of Women and Child Development implements the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, wherein creation of awareness on matters pertaining to gender equality and discouraging child marriage is an important focus area. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also undertakes awareness programs and consultations with stakeholders from time to time in this regard. In addition, Government of India has introduced CHILDLINE with short code 1098, a 24X7 telephone emergency outreach service for children in crisis which responds with suitable interventions to call for any form of assistance which a child requires, including for prevention of child marriages in coordination with police, CMPOs, District Child Protection Units etc.

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes the data on the number of cases of child marriage registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006 in its publication 'Crime in India'. The said report is available upto the year 2021. As per information available with NCRB, the number of cases registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 during 2019, 2020 and 2021 are 523, 785 and 1050 respectively including Uttar Pradesh. The region-wise data is not maintained by NCRB. Higher reporting of cases does not necessarily reflect increase in the number of cases of child marriages, but it may be because of increased awareness among citizens to report such incidents due to initiatives by the Government and better enforcement of law by States/ UTs.

Pin It
Whatsapp

17-Mar-2023: Policy initiative to check child marriages

In order to curb child marriages and to take punitive actions against those associated with child marriages, the Government has enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA). Section 16 of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) authorises the State Government to appoint for the whole State, or such part there of as may be specified, an officer or officers to be known as the 'Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO)' having jurisdiction over the area or areas specified in the notification. This section also specifies the functions to be discharged by CMPOs, which also include preventing solemnisation of child marriages by taking such action as they may deem fit; to collect evidence for the effective prosecution of persons contravening the provisions of the Act; to advise the individuals or counsel the residents of the locality not to indulge in promoting, helping, aiding or allowing the solemnisation of child marriages; to create awareness about the ill effects of child marriages; and to sensitize the community on the issue of child marriages. These authorities function under the respective State Governments/ UT Administrations. As such, implementation of the provisions of the Act lies with them.

Further, the Government has introduced a Bill namely 'the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Parliament on 21.12.2021 for raising the age of marriage of women to 21 years to make it at par with the men. The proposed Bill also has provisions to make consequential amendments in the enactments, inter alia, relating to age of marriage of parties, such as 'The Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872', 'The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936', 'The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937', 'The Special Marriage Act, 1954', 'The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955', and 'The Foreign Marriage Act, 1969'. The Bill has since been referred to Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports for examination.

Further, 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens, investigation and prosecution of crime against women and children including prohibition of child marriages, rest with the respective State Governments. The State Governments are competent to deal with such offenses under the extant provisions of laws.

Nevertheless, the Central Government also undertakes awareness drives, media campaigns and outreach programs and issues advisories to the States/ UTs from time to time to highlight evil effects of this practice. Further, the Ministry of Women and Child Development implements the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, wherein creation of awareness on matters pertaining to gender equality and discouraging child marriage is an important focus area. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also undertakes awareness programs and consultations with stakeholders from time to time in this regard. In addition, Government of India has introduced CHILDLINE with short code 1098, a 24X7 telephone emergency outreach service for children in crisis which responds with suitable interventions to call for any form of assistance which a child requires, including for prevention of child marriages in coordination with police, CMPOs, District Child Protection Units etc.

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes the data on the number of cases of child marriage registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006 in its publication 'Crime in India'. The said report is available upto the year 2021. As per information available with NCRB, the number of cases registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 during 2019, 2020 and 2021 are 523, 785 and 1050 respectively including Uttar Pradesh. The region-wise data is not maintained by NCRB. Higher reporting of cases does not necessarily reflect increase in the number of cases of child marriages, but it may be because of increased awareness among citizens to report such incidents due to initiatives by the Government and better enforcement of law by States/ UTs.

2022

9-Feb-2022: Measures to Prevent Child Marriages

The Government has enacted the ‘Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006’ for prohibition of solemnization of child marriages and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Section 16 of the PCMA Act authorises the State Government to appoint for the whole State, or such part thereof as may be specified, an officer or officers to be known as the 'Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO)' having jurisdiction over the area or areas specified in the notification. The Section also specifies the functions to be discharged by CMPOs, which also includes creation of awareness about the detrimental effects of child marriages and to sensitize the community about this issue. These authorities function under the superintendence of respective State Governments / UTs. As such, the data regarding the number of awareness campaigns undertaken under the PCMA Act are maintained by the respective State Governments/ UT Administrations.

In addition, the Central Government also undertakes awareness drives, media campaigns and outreach programmes and issues advisories to the States/ UTs from time to time to highlight the various issues about this evil practice. Further, the Ministry of Women and Child Development implements the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)’ scheme, wherein women and society at large are made aware about gender equality and ill effects of child marriages.       

Further, Government of India has introduced CHILDLINE with short code 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 in coordination with police, CMPOs, District Child Protection Units etc.

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 and Civil Society organizations on the issue of child marriages and related matters. Further, NCPCR requested all States/ UTs to issue directions to all stakeholders, including Sarpanches and Civil Society Organizations to take proactive steps and preventive measures to stop child marriages on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.       

In addition, the Commission organised 55 Benches / Camps in aspirational districts of various State/ UTs during 2019-20. With this proactive effort of taking all the stakeholders on board at district level, the Commission pointed out a number of issues related to child rights including child marriage before the district authorities, concerned officials and the respective State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCRs). The Commission also heard a number of grievances during its camps in the districts. Visits, Inspections and interactions with children as well as community were also undertaken to understand the concerns of children. Further, the Commission took 35 online Inter-Departmental Review Meetings with all State/ UTs during October–November 2020. The Commission also carried out a detailed exercise to identify indicators based on various child-related legislations. The indicators were on programmes and provisions provided under the various Child related legislations including the issue of child marriages.

2021

3-Dec-2021: Child Marriage

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes information on crimes in its publication “Crime in India”. The published reports are available till the year 2020. The State-wise data including that of Kerala is available on the website of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), https://ncrb.gov.in. As per the information available from the year 2018 – 2020, total 33 cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (18 cases in 2018, 7 cases in 2019 and 8 cases in 2020) have been reported in the State of Kerala.

The Government has enacted the ‘Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006’. The Government also undertakes awareness drives, media campaigns and outreach programmes and issues advisories to the States/ UTs from time to time to highlight evil effects of this practice. Further, the Ministry of Women and Child Development implements the scheme of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)’ in which creation of awareness on matters pertaining to gender equality and discouraging of child marriage is an important focus area.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also undertakes awareness programmes and consultations with stakeholders from time to time in this regard. In addition, Government of India has introduced CHILDLINE 1098, a 24/7 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 in coordination with police, Child Marriage Prohibition Officers, District Child Protection Units etc.

2017

2-Jun-2017: Rajasthan leads in child marriages

The report of a study conducted on child marriages by Young Lives in coordination with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has been released.

Rajasthan has reported the highest incidence of child marriages in the country. 2.5% of marriages of minor girls were reported in Rajasthan. Rajasthan is followed by 15 States, including Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Nagaland, Assam, Maharashtra, Tripura, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Karnataka.

Rajasthan also topped in the percentage (4.69%) of boys marrying below the legal age of 21 years. Thirteen other States reported a higher percentage of child marriages among boys when compared with the national average. No marriage below 10 years of age was reported across the country. Across the country, 12.9% of girls got married in the age of 10-17 years and 43.6% between 18-20 years. However, only 4.9% of boys got married in the 10-17 years age group and 11.2 % in the 18-below 21 age group.

There is a minor decline of 0.1% in the marriage of minor girls. The decline in rural India, between 2001 and 2011 Census, was marginally higher than in the whole of the country. However, the incidence of child marriage among girls increased substantially in urban India from 1.78% in 2001 to 2.45% in 2011. The absolute number of girls married below legal age was 5.1 million.