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Child Marriages in India: Statistics and Insights


Child marriage remains a significant issue in India, despite efforts to eradicate the practice.

  1. Prevalence:

    • Percentage of Child Marriages: Approximately 23.3% of women aged 20-24 were married before they turned 18, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted in 2019-21.

    • Regional Variation: The prevalence of child marriage varies significantly across different states. For example, over 40% of young women in West Bengal, Bihar, and Tripura were married before 18, while it's as low as 1% in Lakshadweep

    • Gender Disparity: 17.7% of men aged 25-29 years were married before the legal age of 21 years.

  2. Trends:

    • Decrease Over Time: The prevalence of child marriage has halved from 47% in 2006 to 23.3% in 2019-21.

    • Proportion of Child Brides: India is home to one-third of the world's child brides.

  3. Geographical Focus:

    • High-Prevalence States: States like Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tripura, and West Bengal have higher rates of child marriages compared to the national average.

  4. Factors Contributing to Child Marriage:

    • Poverty: Families often marry off daughters early to reduce financial burdens, particularly dowries.

    • Cultural and Traditional Beliefs: Child marriage is seen as a way to preserve family honour, ensure virginity, and protect girls from premarital sexual relationships.

    • Gender Inequality: Girls are often viewed as economic liabilities and are married off to lessen the financial burden on the family.

  5. Government Efforts:

    • Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006: This law prohibits the marriage of girls under 18 and boys under 21.

    • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme (2015): This initiative aims to challenge gender stereotypes, celebrate the birth of girl children, and prevent child marriages.

    • Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: Ensures care and protection for children at risk of underage marriage

Religious Breakdown of Child Marriages in India

The prevalence of child marriage in India varies across different religious communities: (Source)

  1. Hindus:

    • Approximately 44% of Hindu women aged 20-24 were married before the age of 18 years.

  2. Muslims:

    • Around 28% of Muslim women in the same age group reported being married before turning 18.

  3. Christians:

    • The rate of child marriages among Christian women aged 20-24 is lower, at about 15%.

  4. Other Religions:

    • Women belonging to other religions, including Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, and Jains, have a child marriage prevalence of about 13%.

A detailed look into the religious breakdown of child marriages in India, the data indicates a significant prevalence among Hindus. Around 44% of Hindu women aged 20-24 were married before hitting adulthood, which is notably higher than other religious demographics

Conclusion

Although there has been progress in reducing the prevalence of child marriage in India, considerable work remains to be done. Addressing the socio-economic factors and changing cultural and traditional practices are crucial to further reducing child marriages. The data suggests that targeted interventions focusing on education and socio-economic upliftment can play a crucial role in further reducing the prevalence of child marriage across all communities.


Sources https://data.unicef.org/resources/ending-child-marriage-a-profile-of-progress-in-india-2023/


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