Ending Child Marriage in India by 2030
India aims to eliminate child marriage by 2030 as part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Despite significant progress, challenges remain to fully achieve this target.
Progress and Current Status
- The Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyan celebrated its first anniversary with a 100-day awareness campaign.
- Child marriage rates have decreased from 47.4% in 2005-06 to 23.3% in 2019-21 according to National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data.
- Progress varies across states and socio-economic groups, with high rates in West Bengal, Bihar, and Tripura.
Socio-economic Correlations
- There is a direct correlation between child marriage, poverty, and education.
- 40% of girls from the lowest wealth quintile marry before adulthood, compared to 8% from the highest quintile.
- 48% of uneducated girls marry before 18, compared to 4% with higher education.
Legal and Health Implications
- The Prevention of Child Marriage Act, 2006 is inadequately enforced, with low conviction rates.
- The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act can be overly harsh, deterring girls from seeking help.
- Child marriages contribute to poor maternal and child health.
Challenges and Solutions
- Investigate why states like West Bengal, despite cash incentives for education, still have high child marriage rates.
- The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign should enhance efforts to support vulnerable communities with necessary infrastructure.
The Role of SDGs and Global Impact
- According to Girls Not Brides, nine out of 17 SDGs will not be met without ending child marriage.
- Addressing poverty, education, health, and gender inequality is crucial to bridging the policy-practice gap in India.
