Even as India has become home to the largest number of child brides in the world, it has set up a 10-member task force to determine the right age for women to marry and become mothers, reported Anadolu Agency.
Headed by Jaya Jaitly, an Indian politician and social activist, the task force which will also examine the correlation between the age of marriage and motherhood will submit its report by July 31.
According to a study conducted by global agency UNICEF in 2017, as many as 27 per cent of girls in India are married off before their 18th birthday. The study further says that at least 1.5 million girls under the age of 18 are married in India every year.
There are fears that the situation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic hitting economies of people will drive many families, especially in India to marry off their daughters early.
“It is likely we are going to see large numbers of child marriages. This could undo decades of work we have done to reduce child marriage,” said Girls Not Brides Chief Executive Faith Mwangi-Powell.
A paper released by the global agency in April had apprehended that adolescent girls would become vulnerable due to situation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It said that COVID-19 would “heighten pre-existing risks of gender-based violence against girls, stymie their social, economic and educational development, and threaten their sexual reproductive health”.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Jaitly said keeping in view Indian situation, the issue of child marriage is a complex one as it involves various factors including health and education.
“India is a layered society with different mindsets. While the poverty-stricken, oppressed community tries to marry off their daughter before 18, the urban women population looks at more possibilities in terms of career,” she said.
According to a law enacted in 1978, while the legal age of marriage for women was raised from 15-18, the biggest challenge has been its implementation. - BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Jun 17 2020
The study says that at least 1.5 million girls under the age of 18 are married in India every year. -Filepic
KADA perluas 80 hektar padi di Pasir Puteh menerusi Program SMART SBB
KADA akan memperluaskan Program SMART SBB seluas 80 hektar lagi di kawasan seliaannya di sini pada musim hadapan bagi membantu lebih ramai pesawah menjana pendapatan lebih lumayan.
Rangka Kerja Integriti dan Antirasuah Industri Perkhidmatan Air perlu dikaji semula
SPAN amat komited dalam merealisasikan pemerkasaan aspek integriti dalam industri perkhidmatan air melalui kerjasama erat bersama para pemegang lesen.
Pantai Teluk Bahang diisytihar sebagai sarang penyu bertelur
Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia (DOF) pada Isnin mengisytiharkan Pantai Teluk Bahang sebagai sarang penyu bertelur.
TUBE-X: 214 usahawan belia Bumiputera Sabah berjaya dilatih melalui bantuan geran lebih RM3 juta
Seramai 214 usahawan belia Bumiputera Sabah berjaya dilatih tahun ini melalui bantuan geran berjumlah lebih RM3 juta di bawah Program Tunas Usahawan Belia Bumiputera (TUBE-X).
Sarawak selidik olah kanji sagu jadi nasi
Sarawak sedang memulakan penyelidikan untuk menjadikan kanji sagu sebagai makanan ruji alternatif kepada nasi.
Sektor pembinaan berkembang 14.2 peratus kepada RM36.8 bilion pada suku pertama 2024
Nilai kerja dalam sektor pembinaan melonjak sebanyak 14.2 peratus tahun ke tahun (y-o-y), berjumlah RM36.8 bilion pada suku pertama 2024.
Kelulusan berisiko jejas hubungan antarabangsa Georgia
Parlimen Georgia pada Isnin meluluskan pendengaran ketiga bagi undang-undang 'Ejen Asing', sekali gus membolehkan anggota Dewan Rakyat membuat undian berdasarkan perlembagaan. Akta 'Ejen Asing' itu diperkenalkan demi memastikan organisasi-organisasi di Georgia bersifat telus dari segi penerimaan dana dari luar negara serta untuk mengelakkan campur tangan pihak luar dalam urusan berkaitan.
Cubaan seludup kala jengking, labah-labah dari Turkiye gagal
DNA haiwan berkenaan boleh digunakan untuk pengeluaran ubat-ubatan yang bernilai mencecah AS$10 juta untuk seliter.
Operasi menyelamat mengesan mangsa hilang diteruskan
Pasukan menyelamat giat mencari mangsa yang masih hilang susulan banjir kilat dan lumpur di Sumatera Barat, Indonesia, yang mengorbankan sekurang-kurangnya 43 orang.
500 petugas perubatan terbunuh di Gaza sejak 7 Oktober
Sekurang-kurangnya 500 petugas perubatan telah terbunuh sejak bermulanya perang Israel di Gaza pada 7 Oktober tahun lalu, kata Kementerian Kesihatan Gaza pada Ahad sempena Hari Jururawat Antarabangsa.