Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill 2021

On 21st December, 2021, the government introduced the Prohibition of Child Marriage Amendment Bill 2021 in Lok Sabha.

  • It will amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 to increase the minimum age of marriage of females.

The Bill would also amend the following Acts: The Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1972

  • The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936
  • The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937
  • The Special Marriage Act, 1954
  • The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
  • The Foreign Marriage Act, 1956

Rationale behind the Bill: The National Family Health Survey found that 23.3 per cent of women in the age group of 20 to 24 years were married before they turned 18.

  • It reveals that 7 per cent of women in the 15-18 years age group were pregnant. Despite laws and strict provisions, child marriage continues to be practiced.
  • About 6.8 per cent of women in the age group of 15-19 years were already mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey. Just 41 per cent of them have had more than ten years of schooling as against 50.2 per cent of men.

Jaya Jaitly Committee

In June 2020, the Ministry for Women and Child Development set up a task force headed by Jaya Jaitly along with other members- NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul and secretaries of several ministries.

Key Recommendations: Increase the age of marriage to 21 years;

  • Government has to look into increasing access to schools and colleges for girls, including their transportation;
  • Skill and business training to girls;
  • Sex education in schools;
  • Awareness campaign to be undertaken on a massive scale d to encourage social acceptance of the new legislation.

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