RAISING MARRIAGE AGE BAR FOR WOMEN A BOON FOR INDIA
By Shrikant Panda
The Union Government has recently introduced a bill in the Parliament that seeks to raise the marriage age for women from 18 to 21 years. This is a welcome move and greatly appreciated by all walks of life baring some political outfits. This proposed legislation will certainly empower women as they will get ample time to further their studies and they can brighten their future for sure.
Rules and regulations must change with the passage of time as Prime Minister Narendra Modi committed to raise the legal age of marriage for women in 2020 Independence Day speech. If this is realised, women will definitely get equal opportunity in completing their education and they will be more matured in taking their own decisions and they will get ample opportunities in finding employments for them in order to stand them on their own feet.
It could be a decisive legislation for women as it would definitely save them from malnutrition, thanks to Jaya Jaitly and her ten members committee constituted by NITI Ayog for suggesting to enhance the age bar for women from 18 to 21. Legal experts, civil societies and people of cross-section of societies are part of this committee suggested to bring this legislation for the betterment of women on the country. After making hectic discussions among women representatives throughout the country, committee suggested to bring such legislation to NITI Ayog in order to reforming society in a big way.
Some women’s groups have supported the proposed bill and many have opined that by enhancing the marriageable age bar, girls can complete her education and they can get employment which will ensure a better life for a girl than being dependent on her husband all her life. As we aware of the fact that owing to early marriages the nation experiences higher infant mortality and low life expectancy, especially among rural women and raising the age bar means we can bring down the incidence of teenage pregnancies. Raising the bar of marriageable age to 21 will certainly reduce the maternal and child mortality rate and they will have transparent knowledge on the pregnancy which will restrict cases of maternal and child mortality rate in the country. Act of this nature will be implemented irrespective of caste and religions and it will boost their education too and they can make right choice for their life partners without feeling any pressure.
As per 2021 census number of 18, 19, and 20 years girls were 1 crore 30 lakh, 1 crore 14 lakh and 1 crore 40 lakh respectively. Moreover, the number of girls attaining the age of 21 years were 1 crore 95 lakh. If we study carefully, we can find total number of girls aged between 18 to 21 have reasoned to 4 crore 64 lakh. It is observed that more girls are being forced to marry in rural India in comparison to urban areas.
If we zip through the report of “The registrar General and Census Commissioner of India-2018,” we find 2.6 per cent of girls are getting married before they attain the age of 18 years in rural areas and 1.6 per cent of girls are married before they attain the age of 18 in urban areas and West Bengal leads in early girl marriage in the country.
If the proposed legislation turns into an act then girls in the country will definitely realize the justice and it will provide ample opportunity to paddle their own canoe on their own. Only bill can’t empower women and government must focus on augmenting educational facilities in rural areas, health care and provision of nutrition to girls which would definitely ensure safety of women.
Government, political outfits and civil societies must work in tandem in raising the awareness level of different communities and make them accept marriageable age upto 21 years. And it would be a monumental step for girls as act of this nature will certainly prevent societal and family pressure to get married after they attain the age of 18 years.
After a gap of 43 years such legislation of raising the marriageable age for women is being mulled. It could benefit women immensely for safeguarding their future. It’s worth noting that amendment to this effect was done in 1978 by changing 1929 Sharada Act enhancing the marriageable age from 15 to 18 years.
We are aware of the fact that girls are construed as burden in villages so parents forced girls to marry in young age neglecting their psychological and physical maturity. If this legislation becomes an act then it will be a landmark achievement for women empowerment in the country and after attaining the age of 21 years girls will have psychological and physical maturity to take their decisions on its own and they will be more self reliant and generate income for their families.
(Mr Shrikant Panda Panda is a leading journalist and researcher).
