Can a girl marry before 18 years old?

Can a girl marry before 18 years old?

Legally speaking, a marriage in which either the girl is below 18 years of age, or the boy is below 21 years of age is child marriage. The previous law titled Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 had provisions only for restraining the solemnization, not for prevention or prohibition of child marriages.

When was marriage age raised to 18?

1929
The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 This Act defined the age of marriage to be 18 for males and 14 for females.

What are the effects of early child marriage?

Child marriage is linked to high global rates of maternal mortality. When girls become pregnant before their bodies are ready, they are at high risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, which endanger the life of both mother and child. Teenage birth rates are highest where child marriage is most prevalent.

What are the disadvantages of child marriage?

Child marriage is driven by poverty and has many effects on girls’ health: increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases, cervical cancer, malaria, death during childbirth, and obstetric fistulas. Girls’ offspring are at increased risk for premature birth and death as neonates, infants, or children.

At what age girl should get married?

Similarly, the Law Commission, in 2008, had recommended a uniform age of marriage for boys and girls at 18 years, and not 21. In 2018, the National Human Rights Commission had also recommended that there should be a uniform age of marriage for boys and girls.

Why 18 is the legal age for marriage?

Personal laws Post-independence, the Special Marriage Act, 1954 was enacted. According to this Act, people could get married to each other irrespective of their religion and faith. The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 under Section 5(iii) sets the age of marriage as 18 years for women and 21 years for men.

What are negative effects of early marriage?

Early marriage is a harmful practice that denies girls their right to make vital decisions about their sexual health and well-being. It forces them out of education and into a life of poor prospects, with an increased risk of violence, abuse, ill health or early death.

Who is most affected by child marriage?

Child marriage among girls is most common in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, and the 10 countries with the highest rates are found in these two regions. Niger has the highest overall prevalence of child marriage in the world.

What are the disadvantages of marriage?

Disadvantages of Getting Married

  • You limit your level of freedom.
  • No other partners allowed.
  • You might get trapped in an unhappy marriage.
  • Dependence on your partner.
  • Bad for one party in case of divorce.
  • Divorce may lead to financial obligations.
  • Attraction may suffer significantly over time.
  • Divorce rates are quite high.