Child Marriage

India must adopt zero tolerance for child marriage: Minister Annapurna Devi

Union Minister of Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi on Thursday said child marriage snatches childhood away from daughters and pushes them towards early maternity and "unimaginable suffering". She was speaking at the launch of a '100-day Intensive Awareness Campaign for a Child Marriage Free Bharat', where she stressed that the country must adopt "zero tolerance" towards child marriage. The minister urged states, civil society groups, and community leaders to unite with an "unwavering commitment" to eliminate the practice. She said India had made "historic progress", but that far more remained to be done. "Even one child marriage is unacceptable for us," she said. Annapurna Devi traced the journey from the Sarda Act, 1929 to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, noting that the legal framework had become stronger over the decades, yet harmful social norms persisted. "Child marriage is not just a violation of the law. It takes away a daughter's childhood and pushes

Child marriage cases surged six-fold in 2023, Assam leads with 90%: NCRB

Cases registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act jumped six times in 2023 compared to the previous year, with Assam alone accounting for nearly 90 per cent of the total cases, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. The NCRB data also revealed that 16,737 girls and 129 boys were kidnapped or abducted "for marriage" in 2023. The report further shows that 6,038 cases were filed under the Act in 2023, a sharp rise from 1,002 cases in 2022 and 1,050 in 2021. Among these, Assam reported 5,267 cases, making it the state with the highest number of cases. Other states with higher figures in the list include Tamil Nadu (174), Karnataka (145) and West Bengal (118). Several states and Union Territories such as Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Ladakh and Lakshadweep reported no cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act during the year. The Act, enacted in 2006, prohibits marriage of girls below the age of 18 and boys below 21, and criminalises those who .

More Girls in MP opting to marry after 21, focus on self-reliance: Survey

In a notable shift in societal attitudes towards marriage, 62.5 per cent of girls in Madhya Pradesh are now preferring to marry after the age of 21, compared to 56 per cent in 2020, as per a government survey. This change is likely due to girls prioritising education and career over marriage, and also government schemes providing support to them, experts feel. According to the recently released Sample Registration System (SRS)-2023, 62.5 per cent of girls in MP preferred to marry after the age of 21. These figures indicate a significant difference in attitudes towards marriage between girls in rural and urban areas. While 57.5 per cent of girls in rural areas preferred to marry after the age of 21, in urban areas the rate was 80.2 per cent. The national average for girls marrying after the age of 21 is 72.2 per cent, and Madhya Pradesh lags behind. But, considering the SRS-2020 data, the situation in the state has improved. While the data reflects a significant shift in the age of

Assam surpasses national average in decline in child marriages: Report

Assam has recorded a sharp decline in the number of child marriages, surpassing the national average, as per a report of a survey carried out by a non-governmental organisation in five states. Legal deterrence, including police complaints and arrests, was identified as among the most effective tools in eliminating child marriage, the report based on the period April 2022 to March 2025 said. The report, 'Tipping Point to Zero: Evidence Towards a Child Marriage Free India', released recently at a side event at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, was prepared by the Centre for Legal Action and Behaviour Change for Children (C-LAB), an initiative of NGO Just Rights for Children (JRC) partner India Child Protection. The report said Assam is leading the nation with the steepest decline in child marriage, recording an 84 per cent drop in cases among girls and a 91 per cent reduction among boys in the last three years. It said that at the national level, child marriages declin

Delhi HC stresses UCC amid ongoing conflict between Personal Land, Pocso

Court stressed that the larger question of reconciling personal laws with child protection statutes must soon be answered by the Legislature/Parliament

Despite ban, girl child marriage persists, villages drive higher share

Girl child marriage in total weddings remained above two per cent in the country, barring in Covid-hit year (2020)

Parl panel slams poor action on tribal women's health, child marriage data

A parliamentary panel has expressed dissatisfaction over the government's "lack of seriousness" to improve health facilities for tribal women, highlighting persistent challenges like inadequate data, poor implementation of malnutrition and anaemia reduction programmes, and slow progress in addressing child marriage. In its second report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday, the Committee on Empowerment of Women criticized the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for failing to take a proactive role in coordinating with other ministries to improve tribal health. The report reviews the government's response to recommendations made in a 2023 report on 'Health Facilities for Tribal Women'. The committee said it was concerned at the "lack of seriousness" in implementing tailor-made interventions for tribal women and children, especially regarding the generation and use of tribal-specific health data. Simply taking note of the committee's recommendations is not sufficient, the panel stated, urging th

Tripura considering making marriage registration mandatory: CM Manik Saha

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has said the state government is considering making marriage registration mandatory for all social weddings in a bid to curb child marriage in the state. According to 2020 data from the state's Social Education and Social Welfare Department, Tripura ranks third in India in child marriages after West Bengal and Bihar. "The government is contemplating preventing child marriage by introducing pre-marriage registration for social marriages. We will also explore necessary legal provisions to implement this. For this, submission of birth certificates will be made mandatory," Saha said while addressing a government programme in Gandhigram, West Tripura, on Thursday. Saha said that if birth certificates are made a provision for marriage registration, the ages of the boys and girls will automatically come to light. Girls should be at least 18 years old and boys at least 21 years old for social marriage under the existing legislation, he added. Urging peop

Pak passes law to curb child marriages, sets minimum marriage age to 18

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday signed into law a bill fixing the minimum age for marriage at 18 years to curb child marriages despite opposition from right-wing clerics. The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill, seeking to protect the rights of children and eventually eradicate marriages of children under the age of 18, was sent to the president's approval on May 27 after sailing through both houses of Parliament. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman shared on X a presidential notification related to the approval of the legislation. The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2025 is assented to, as passed by the Parliament, the notification read. Pakistan has reached a milestone in the enactment of important legislation against child marriages, she said. Zardari accented to the bill despite strong opposition from religious groups and even the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), a constitutional body tasked to off

Clerics in Pakistan urge President to reject bill against child marriage

Clerics in Pakistan have urged President Asif Ali Zardari not to sign a bill banning child marriage, calling it un-Islamic and a 'western conspiracy'

Will eradicate child marriage in Assam by 2026, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

The Assam government's approach of taking legal action against child marriage led to an 81 per cent decline in such cases in 20 of its 35 districts between 2021-22 and 2023-24, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The chief minister also vowed to eradicate child marriage completely in Assam by 2026, according to an official release. Assam's relentless campaign to weed out child marriage received commendation during the NDA chief ministers' conclave held here on Sunday, Sarma said. At the conclave, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Assam came in for much appreciation from the Union ministers, chief ministers of other states, and Modi himself, for its "vigorous and relentless" efforts to eliminate child marriage, he said. Modi asked the chief ministers of the NDA-ruled states to emulate the Assam model to eradicate the menace of child marriage, according to the release. Modi also asked officials to visit Assam to get a first-hand experience of how the state has done away

Odisha reports 3 child marriages daily, Nabarangpur dist leads: Govt data

Odisha has reported at least three such cases every day during the last six years, despite several initiatives taken by the administration, according to government data. Activists working in this field attribute tribal practice, dowry, migration of labourer families and parents' fear that daughters may elope to this startling figure. The data reveals that 8,159 child marriages have taken place across Odisha from 2019 to February 2025. Of them, 1,347 cases have been reported from Nabarangpur, the highest among all 30 districts of Odisha during that period. While Ganjam district is in the second spot with 966 cases, Koraput comes next with 636. It was followed by Mayurbhanj (594), Rayagada (408), Balasore (361), Keonjhar (328), Kandhamal (308) and Nayagarh (308). The lowest of 57 such instances have been found in Jharsuguda district in those six years. Social activist Namrata Chadha said, Child marriage cannot be fully stopped overnight. We have to create such an environment and soc

Bihar to constitute 'task force' to prevent, eradicate child marriages

The Bihar government has decided to constitute a state-level 'task force' headed by the chief secretary to monitor action taken by authorities to prevent and eradicate child marriages in the state. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, Bihar has the second-highest rate of child marriage in the country, following West Bengal. The report said 40.8 per cent of women in the state get married before turning 18. However, only 19 cases were registered under the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) between 2020 and 2024. "We are working on a focused intervention to curb child marriage in communities and geographical areas with a higher prevalence of the practice. The Bihar government has decided to constitute a state-level task force' to monitor the actions taken by authorities to prevent and eradicate child marriages in the state," chief secretary Amrit Lal Meena told PTI on Saturday. Police and other agencies have been instructed to effectively ..

Child marriage at 9? Iraq's controversial law ignites fiery protests

Iraq's Parliament, largely controlled by a coalition of conservative Shia Muslim parties, is poised to vote on a change that could dismantle the country's 'personal status law'

Child marriage prevention cannot be undermined by personal laws: SC

Authorities should focus on preventing child marriages and protecting vulnerable minors, with penalising offenders being a last resort: Supreme Court

NCPCR finds over 1.1 mn children at risk of child marriage, acts to prevent

The apex child rights body NCPCR on Thursday said it identified over 11 lakh children vulnerable to child marriage in 2023-24 and intervened through steps such as family counselling, school reintegration efforts, and coordination with law enforcement. In a comprehensive report, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) underscored the efforts it took under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, through collaboration with child marriage prohibition officers (CMPOs), district authorities, and other stakeholders. More than 1.2 crore people were reached through the awareness campaigns, with Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh emerging as leaders in the fight against child marriage, the commission said. The report, which was prepared after virtual review meetings with district officials and key stakeholders, presents data on children at risk of dropping out of schools, a major factor contributing to child marriages. Uttar Pradesh, with over ..

Jharkhand SPKSY initiative to boost girls' education, combat early marriage

Adolescent girls, particularly those from weaker sections of society, are receiving support from Jharkhand government's financial assistance scheme to pursue their educational dreams, an official said. According to him, Savitribai Phule Kishori Samriddhi Yojana (SPKSY), launched by the Hemant Soren-led government, has been instrumental in discouraging early child marriage, reducing school dropouts, and encouraging girls to seek higher education. Laxman Hajam, a parent, said the scheme has ensured that financial constraints would no longer hinder his daughter's dream of becoming a doctor. "Now, she can continue her education," said Hajam, whose daughter is in class 10. The SPKSY provides scholarships totaling Rs 40,000, distributed in six installments, to facilitate the education of adolescent girls and promote women's empowerment and gender justice. Girls studying in classes 8 to 12 receive Rs 20,000 in five installments, with a one-time scholarship of Rs 20,000 available when ...

Special drive against child marriage to be held every 6 months: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government would continue its crackdown on child marriages and a special drive against the social evil would be conducted every six months. He said the director general of police (DGP) has been instructed to conduct a preliminary survey for the next round of crackdown on child marriages towards the year-end. Sarma's comments come after an NGO report on Wednesday maintained that the state government's action against child marriage has led to a decline in the number of such cases. "Our campaign and tough action against child marriage will continue. Every six months a special drive will be conducted, and the DGP has been instructed to conduct a preliminary survey for the next crackdown on child marriages in November-December this year," the CM said in a video message on Wednesday evening. Initially, some people were "not happy with the crackdown against child marriages, but now people are preventing the social evil, even in minority ..

Assam announces monthly stipend to curb child marriage, support education

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that his government would provide monthly stipends to all girl students from class 11 to post-graduation over the next five years, aiming to prevent child marriages. Addressing a press conference, Sarma said the scheme, 'Nijut Moina', was approved by the cabinet, which estimated that Rs 1,500 crore would be required in five years to give the incentives to around 10 lakh girls. "A married girl will not get the benefit. The only exception will be those married girls who are enrolled in PG courses, they will also benefit," he said. The sole aim of this scheme is to delay the marriage of a girl so that she can be financially independent and start earning for herself and her family, Sarma said. "The scheme will increase the gross enrollment ratio of girls substantially," he asserted. All girls studying in classes 11 and 12 will get Rs 1,000 every month, it will be Rs 1,250 for degree students and Rs 2,500 for girls doing .

Bill to raise legal marriage age for women lapses as 17th LS dissolves

With the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha, a bill that aimed to bring uniformity in the age of marriage for men and women has lapsed. The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2021 and was referred to the standing committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports. The standing committee received multiple extensions over a period of time. Citing provisions of law and Constitution, former Lok Sabha Secretary-General and Constitution expert P D T Acharya told PTI that with the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha, "the bill has now lapsed". The bill aimed to amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 to increase the minimum age of marriage of females to 21 years. Further, the Bill would have overridden any other law, custom, or practice. Under the 2006 Act, a person married below the minimum age may apply for annulment within two years of attaining majority (i.e., before 20 years of age). The Bill increases thi