Lok Sabha Question No. 524 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-20
Subject: Child Marriages
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: OM BIRLA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.524

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2018

## CHILD MARRIAGES

## 524. SHRI OM BIRLA:

Will the Minister of WOMEN ANDCHILD DEVELOPMENTbe pleased to state:

- (a) whether there has been a steepdrop in child marriages in the country asper both UNICEF and National FamilyHealth Survey Report and if so, the detailsthereof;
- (b) the details of percentageprevalence of child marriage during each ofthe last three years and the current yearState/UT-wise;
- (c) whether it is true that a highpercentage (above national level) of childmarriage prevalence exists in Bihar,Rajasthan and West Bengal and if so, thedetails thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  hasinitiated  any  special  policy/guidelines  orplans  on  providing special assistance toworst affected States for tackling problemsof Child marriages and if so, the detailsthereof; and
- (e) whether the Government hasinitiated any awareness campaign targetingwomen and youth in general  through  localprofessionals  like  doctors  etc.  in  this  regardand  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a): Yes Madam. As per National Family Health Survey, the percentage of women (in the age group 20-24 years), who were married before legal age, has reduced from 47.4% in 2005-06 to  26.8%  in  2014-15.  Further,  as  per  analysis  of  Census  2011  data  by  NCPCR,  'nil' marriages were reported in the age group of 0-9 years for both boys and girls. There is an overall  decline  in  the  incidence  of  child  marriage  in  the  country.    As  per  Census,  the percentage of ever married girls below legal age has reduced from 2.51% in 2001 to 2.44% in 2011.  For boys, this figure has reduced from 9.64% in 2001 to 2.54% in 2011.
- (b): Prevalence  data  of  Child  Marriage  is  not  available  on  annual  basis.  This  is  collected  in Census and NFHS, which are conducted periodically every few years. Data on the reporting of child marriage is available on annual basis from National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Due to improved awareness, these reports have increased from 2014, 2015 to 2016. As per the  National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB)  data,  the  State-wise  Cases  Registered  (CR) under  the  Prohibition  of  Child  Marriage  Act,  2006  during  2014,  2015  and  2016  are  at Annexure-I.
- (c) : As per census 2011, Rajasthan, Bihar and West Bengal are among the top states reporting the highest percentage of child marriage among both boys and girls. The practice of Child

Marriages is largely due to the prevailing social customs, tradition, illiteracy, poverty, low status of women in society and lack of awareness.

- (d) & (e) : The Government of India has enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 in order to prohibit child marriages rather than only restraining them. The States/UTs from time to time are being regularly pursued for effective implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage  Act,  2006.  MWCD  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.

These issues cannot be tackled by legislative interventions alone. The BetiBachaoBetiPadhao (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  focused  on  creating  awareness  on  and  discouraging  the  practice  of  child marriage. Further, the newly formulated Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) scheme will focus 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.This  is  a  continuous  process  and  Government  undertakes  media  campaigns  and outreach programmes to address this.

## **********

Annexure referred to in reply to Part (b) of the Lok Sabha Un-starred Question No.524 for 20.07.2018 regarding 'Child Marriage'

No.  of  Cases  Registered  (CR)  under  the  Prohibition  of  Child  Marriage  Act,  2006  during 2014,2015 and 2016

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | 2014   | 2015   | 2016   |
|-----------|-------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    | 16     | 15     | 19     |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 3         | Assam             | 4      | 14     | 23     |
| 4         | Bihar             | 10     | 0      | 0      |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh      | 2      | 6      | 8      |
| 6         | Goa               | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 7         | Gujarat           | 16     | 9      | 12     |
| 8         | Haryana           | 15     | 14     | 14     |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh  | 4      | 1      | 0      |
| 10        | Jammu &Kashmir    | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 11        | Jharkhand         | 1      | 1      | 4      |
| 12        | Karnataka         | 44     | 35     | 51     |
| 13        | Kerala            | 19     | 13     | 8      |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh    | 15     | 9      | 9      |
| 15        | Maharashtra       | 14     | 24     | 16     |
| 16        | Manipur           | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 17        | Meghalaya         | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 18        | Mizoram           | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 19        | Nagaland          | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 20        | Odisha            | 0      | 1      | 15     |
| 21        | Punjab            | 2      | 5      | 8      |
| 22        | Rajasthan         | 5      | 6      | 12     |
| 23        | Sikkim            | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 24        | Tamil Nadu        | 47     | 77     | 55     |
| 25        | Telangana         | 13     | 15     | 19     |
| 26        | Tripura           | 1      | 2      | 1      |
| 27        | Uttar Pradesh     | 10     | 4      | 3      |
| 28        | Uttarakhand       | 0      | 1      | 1      |
| 29        | West Bengal       | 37     | 40     | 41     |
| 30        | A &NIslands       | 0      | 1      | 1      |
| 31        | Chandigarh        | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 32        | D &NHaveli        | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 33        | Daman &Diu        | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 34        | Delhi             | 2      | 0      | 1      |
| 35        | Lakshadweep       | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 36        | Puducherry        | 3      | 0      | 5      |
|           | Total             | 280    |        |        |
|           |                   |        | 293    | 326    |