(a) whether as per a recent Report by the United Nations International Children Education
Fund (UNICEF) India tops in child marriage and about 24.5 million women are getting married
before the age of 18;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the details of the remedial measures suggested in the said Report to prevent the same; and
(d) the response of the Government thereto with the action taken or proposed to be taken to prevent the child marriages?
MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KRISHNA TIRATH)
(a) to (d): The United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) Repot, “The
Progress for Children – A Report Card on Child Protection†of September, 2009 does mention that
24.5 million women in the age group of 20-24 years were married or in the union before 18
years of age (2007). But this Report was not released in India. Further, the estimates are
based on 96 countries representing 61% of the world population and does not include data from
populous countries like China.
The Report has not made any specific recommendations to prevent child marriages in India.
The Government of India repealed the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 and replaced it by
“The Prohibition of Child Marriages Act, 2006†with a view to prohibit child marriages and
to provide for stringent punishment for offenders. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act,
2006 was notified in the Gazette of India on 11th January, 2007 and has been enforced w.e.f.
1st November, 2007.