SATISH HANDA
As a result of increasing deaths rate of newly born babies, children up to age five and pregnant females in India, a UNICEF study in the year 2018 revealed that nearly 721000 children on an average 1975 children were reported died every day in the country. According to a survey report, it was identified that early marriages prior to age 18 was root cause of not only increasing deaths of children but also deaths of females during pregnancy and after delivery of child and a survey in this regard in year the year 2017 revealed that nearly 35000 such females were reported died during the year because of early marriage.
Sources reveal, government of India has decided to increase minimum age for the marriage of a female 21 from 18 years at present in order to control deaths rate of children as well as females during pregnancy and delivery of child due to early marriages. There is possibility for decision in this regard during next Lok Sabha session. Information reveals, a Task Force has already been constituted presided by Jaya Jetley to work out this proposal. Information reveals, minimum age for marriage in case of females was fixed 18 and for a male 21 in 1978 in our country. Needless to say, decision as regard fixing minimum age for the marriage of a female 21 would bring good results not only for women empowerment but also increase literacy among women.
UNICEF survey conducted in the year 2005-06 revealed that in nearly 47% cases girls below age 18 years were married and this number dropped to 27% by the year 2015-16. Survey further reveals that nearly 3.7 crore females were married in the country in past five years, of them 1.37 crore female brides were of age between 8 and 10 years in most of the cases bride grooms were of age 20 to 25 years. While looking at the past scenario, girls of age up to 12 years were occasionally married in 1927 in our country which was severely opposed by different communities when in 1929 the minimum age for marriage in case of a female was fixed 14 years and for a male 18 years in thre country and in the year 1949 the minimum age of marriage in case of a female was increased to15 years.
Survey report reveals, nearly 48% females in our country are married at the age 20 or below and due to burden of pregnancy, child birth in early age, excessive load of work to look after newly born child and lack of awareness their health is adversely affected. According to Shirin Jijibhoy, Director of a renowned social welfare organization in the country, in-spite of strict ban by the government large number of cases of child marriages are still being reported in our country in which parents claim social reasons, fear of non-availability of a suitable husband for over-age girls and family belonging to below poverty line were prime reasons for the child marriages. Information reveals, in 49% child marriage cases the girl was found completely uneducated and there were only 4% cases in which girl were found educated up to class XII.
