This document provides information about a presentation on child marriage given at Govt. Sr. Sec. School Jatusana on January 21, 2021. It defines child marriage as a formal or informal union before the age of 18. Statistics for India show that 47% of girls are married before 18 and 30.2% before 15 based on 2011 census data. Causes of child marriage include poverty, economic hardship, gender inequality, tradition and culture. Effects include health risks from early pregnancy and high fertility. Laws against child marriage in India include the Child Marriage Restraint Act, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and articles in the Hindu Marriage Act.

1. GSSS JATUSANA
Welcome to
Block Level Competition of Legal Literacy
Date: 21 Janurary, 2021

2. Child Marriage
A Presentation on
Govt. Sr. Sec. School Jatusana
Submitted by:
Simran
Roll No.:……….

3. A person who, if a male, has not completed
twenty one years of age and, if a female has not
completed eighteen years of age.
A Child….?

4. According to UNICEF, child marriage is a formal
or informal union before the age of 18.
What is Child Marriage?

5. A. India has the highest percentage of child
brides in the world. About 47% of the girls
get married before reaching the age of 18.
B. 2011 Census data showed that 91% of all
women were married by 25 years of age with
an alarming rate of 30.2% girls who were
married before the age of 18.
Statics in India

6.  1. States Parties shall accord to women equality with men before
the law.
 2. States Parties shall accord to women, in civil matters, a legal
capacity identical to that of men and the same opportunities to
exercise that capacity. In particular, they shall give women equal
rights to conclude contracts and to administer property and shall
treat them equally in all stages of procedure in courts and
tribunals.
 3. States Parties agree that all contracts and all other private
instruments of any kind with a legal effect which is directed at
restricting the legal capacity of women shall be deemed null and
void.
 4. States Parties shall accord to men and women the same rights
with regard to the law relating to the movement of persons and
the freedom to choose their residence and domicile.
Article 15

7.  The betrothal and the marriage of a child shall have
no legal effect and all necessary action including
legislation shall be taken to specify a minimum age for
marriage and to make the registration of marriage in
an official registry compulsory.
Article 16 (2)

8.  Poverty and marriage expenses including dowry often lead
families to marry off their daughters as an early age to
reduce these costs.
 Girls are often married to considerably older men.
 Girls are seen as a burden on their family.
 Marrying a daughter at a young age is viewed as a means
to ease economic hardship by transferring this burden.
 Giving a daughter in marriage early allows parents to
reduce family expenses by ensuring they have one less
person to feed, clothe and educate.
Observations

9.  1. Poverty
 2. Economic survival strategies
 3. Gender Inequality
 4. Sealing (confirming) land or property deals
 5. Settling disputes
 6. Control over sexuality and family honour
 7. Tradition and culture
 8. Insecurity, especially during wars, droughts, famines or
epidemics
Causes of Child Marriage

10.  Early Pregnancy-Health complications
 Fall in High Fertility Age Group
 Inabilities to Plan or Manage Families
 Effect on sexual health of young girls
 Desire for Male Child
 High difference in age between bride and
bridegroom
Effects of Child Marriage

11.  Offenders under section 10 and/or 11 could include;
 The guardians/parents of both the parties
 Priests, relatives and friends of both parties
 Neighbours of both parties
 Community leaders who give patronage to such marriages
 Marriage bureaus/persons responsible for fixing such
marriages
 Traffickers
 The bridegroom, if over 18
 Caterers and other service providers
Offenders

12. A court having jurisdiction over matters involving
divorce, child custody and support, paternity, domestic
violence and other family-law issues.
Family Courts

13.  The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929
 The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006
 Hindu Marriage Act, 1956
 Muslim Personal Law
 Indian Christian Marriage Act (ICMA)
Laws for Child Marriage

14. The Convention on The Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is an International
bill attempting to end discrimination against women. This
convention states that child marriages should not have a
legal effect and all legal actions must be taken to enforce a
minimum age, and that all marriages must be put into an
official registry. India signed this convention on July 30, 1980
but stated a declaration that because of the nation’s size and
increasing population, it is impractical to register all
marriages of the country.
CEDAW

15. Thanks for Presence