Lok Sabha Question No. 1203 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-28
Subject: Child Marriages
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Pinaki Misra

## 1203. SHRI PINAKI MISHRA

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the fact that child marriages are still widely practiced despite the ban on it and Rajasthan has the highest incidence of child marriages in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the National Health Survey of 2015-16 data shows that 40.5% of the women in the age group of 20-24 in rural Rajasthan got married before they were 18 years of age;
- (c) whether the Centre has taken up the matter with the said State Government;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the response of the State Government thereto; and
- (e) whether the State Government has given any assurance of effective implementation of the ban for the betterment of the girl child?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) & (b): As per National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (2015-16) conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, child marriage is still practiced.  The survey report NFHS-4 covered all the States and UTs of India including Rajasthan.  As per the NFHS-4 State Factsheet of Rajasthan, the percentage of rural women aged 20-24 years who were married before age 18 years is 40.5.
- (c) to (e): The practice of Child Marriage is prevalent in India largely due to the prevailing social customs, tradition, illiteracy, poverty, low status of women in society and lack of awareness. The Government of India has enacted The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 in order to prohibit child marriages. The States/UTs from time to time are being regularly pursued for effective implementation of The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Ministry of Women and Child Development regularly sends out letters to District Collectors to increase alertness to prevent underage marriages during festivals such as Akshaya Tritiya/Akha Teej. The prevention of child marriage and protection of the girl child is a prominent part of the National Plan of Action for Children, 2016.

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) programme is working to ensure the education of girls and reduce dropouts, thus delaying their marriage. A significant part of the BBBP advocacy campaign is focussed  on  creating  awareness  and  discouraging  the  practice  of  child  marriage.  Further,  the  newly formulated Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) scheme focus is on creating awareness and equipping women at  the  village  level  with  information  on  issues  of  gender  equality  and  empowerment,  a  critical  part  of which  will  be  the  prevention  of  child  marriage.  Government  of  India  in  collaboration  with  State  and District authorities undertakes media campaigns and outreach programmes to address this issue.

As informed by the State Government of Rajasthan, the issue of child marriage is being viewed seriously by the State Government and various programmes and activities are implemented by the State Government to address the issue of child marriage, which is at Annexure-I .

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.1203

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.06.2019

## CHILD MARRIAGES

## Annexure referred to in reply to Part (c), (d) & (e) to the Lok Sabha Un-starred Question No.1203 for 28.06.2019 regarding 'Child Marriages'

The activities undertaken by the Government of Rajasthan are as follows:

- (i) In  compliance  to  the  Prohibition  of  Child  Marriage  Act,  2006,  the  State  Rules  for Rajasthan Child Marriage Prohibition Act were notified in 2007.
- (ii) Under  section  16  of  the  Prohibition  of  Child  Marriage  Act,  2006,  all  Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Tehsildars have been notified as Child Marriage Prohibition Officers.
- (iii) Standard  Operating  Procedure  (SOP)  has  been  issued  to  indicate  the  role  and responsibility of various stakeholders.
- (iv) 'Sajha  Abhiyaan-Bal  Vivah  Mukt  Rajasthan'  is  a  campaign  envisaged  as  a  platform  to connect and consolidate various projects, programmes and ideas of the government, civil society, individuals and media to take unified action against child marriage.
- (v) A  State  strategy  and  Action  Plan  (SSAP)  aimed  to  end  child  marriage,  which  are executed by various departments, development partners and all concerned stakeholders.
- (vi) Child Marriage Prohibition Officers play important role in implementation of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, therefore, Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Tehsildars) of the State have been oriented and sensitised on this Act.
- (vii) Intensive  Media  campaign  involving  both  print  and  electronic  media  is  conducted  on Akshya  Tritiya  and  Peepal  Murnima  along  with  establishment  of  control  rooms  at  the State, District and Block level.
- (viii) Every  year  Legal  Literacy  camps  are  being  by  the  Rajasthan  State  Legal  Service Authorities, District Legal Service Authorities and the Taluka Legal Service Authorities in partnership with the District Administration.  The para legal volunteers organise sessions on Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 in school, to sensitize children on the issue.
- (ix) Advisories  are  issued  to  Zila  Pramukh,  Pradhan  and  Sarpanch  on  the  issue  of  child marriage and the role of public representatives.
- (x) Government of Rajasthan is also creating awareness on the issue of child marriage, its harmful effects and legal provisions related to child marriage through Beti  Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana and Mahila Shakti Kendra.
- (xi) The issue of child marriage has been included as meeting agenda point of Gram Sabha.

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