DNA THEME: Bride & prejudice… How SC ruling can help
The recent Supreme Court ruling that sex with a minor wife amounts to rape, could be a game changer for underage girls aged between 0 and 19 years in the state who are already mothers. This judgment will indisputably correct the view that early marriage is a serious infringement of child rights. According to the 2011 Census, 31.6 per cent girls in Rajasthan were married off before the age of 18. A more recent survey by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) 2015-16 pointed to an even higher number, with 35.4 per cent of girls aged between 20 and 24 years got married off before attaining the legal age.
Hook or by crook, this progressive decision will not only break the social orthodoxy but will also help in improving the health scenario of the state. Maternal mortality and infant mortality rates are closely linked to early marriages. A UNICEF study revealed that early marriage hinders educational attainment, which then leads to poor maternal health and higher infant mortality rates. Child-bearing at a young age is detrimental to the health of both the mother and the infant. This is why child marriage affects women more than men, other than the fact that …read more
