Himachal Pradesh Assembly Passes the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2024

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Passes the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2024

• The Himachal Pradesh Assembly has passed the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2024. 

• The bill proposes to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years

• . Under the bill, a "child" is defined as any person below the age of 21.

Benefits of Raising the Minimum Age of Marriage to 21 Years

The demand to increase the minimum age of marriage for girls to 21 years in India is based on several important social, economic, and health-related factors. The primary objective is to address issues such as women's empowerment, health, and child marriage.

1. Education: Increasing the age of marriage will provide girls with more time to complete their education, enabling them to pursue better careers.

2. Empowerment: Delayed marriages give girls the opportunity to learn new skills, become self-reliant, and make better decisions about their future.

3. Maternal Health: Early marriages and pregnancies pose health risks to both the mother and child. Raising the marriage age will give girls time to mature physically and mentally, leading to better health for both mother and child.

4. Childcare: Women who are economically and mentally prepared will be better able to care for their children.

5. Preventing Child Marriages: In many parts of India, child marriages are still prevalent, disrupting girls' education and exposing them to issues such as domestic violence. Raising the marriage age will help reduce child marriages.

6. Women's Participation in Economic Development: With delayed marriages, women can participate more effectively in the workforce, becoming economically stronger and contributing to the nation's development.

Thus, raising the marriage age to 21 years will provide girls with better opportunities for education, health, and economic empowerment.

Potential Negative Impacts of Raising the Minimum Age of Marriage to 21 Years:

1. Social and Cultural Challenges: In rural and traditional communities, increasing the age of marriage may go against cultural norms, leading to social resistance and discouraging people from following the law.

2. Impact on Fertility Rates: Raising the age of marriage may affect fertility rates, as women who marry later may have children later in life, reducing the overall reproductive age.

3. Live-in Relationships and Unlawful Marriages: Even after raising the age, some couples may opt to live together in live-in relationships before legal marriage, which may not be socially acceptable and could lead to legal complications.

4. Impact on Women's Rights: Some may argue that increasing the marriage age affects women's autonomy. While the goal is to promote health and education, it could be seen as limiting women's freedom to make life decisions.

While the intention behind raising the minimum age of marriage is to promote women's empowerment, health, and educational opportunities, it is important to consider the potential social and economic implications.