Child Marriage in India
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Child marriage was a common feature in India before Indian Independence in 1947. After Independence, child marriages have been made illegal. The legal age to marry in India is set at 18 for women and 21 for men. The law is followed in most parts of India but in some regions of the country parents arrange child marriages for their children. Children as young as 10 years old are married off in the states of Rajasthan.
In an effort to curb the practice of child marriages the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh in India have passed laws that mandate the registration of all marriages in order to make it a valid marriage.
But mass marriages that involve children are frequently ignored by authorities.[1]
According to a 1991 census, Rajasthan was the state with the most child marriages.
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[edit] History
Child marriage began over a thousand years ago when India was invaded by troops. Women, particularly children, were taken as spoils of war. So girls were married off early to protect them.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Child marriages targeted in India", BBC News 24 October, 2001
