Social issues — child marriage, gender discrimination and women empowerment

Child marriage means a marriage in which either party is a child under the law. In India, the legal minimum age is 18 years for a woman and 21 years for a man. The issue is important for objective exams because it links social custom, gender inequality, child rights, maternal health and education. It is not only an individual family decision; it affects school completion, nutrition, reproductive health, economic independence and inter-generational poverty.

Common causes include poverty, fear of social stigma, dowry pressure, weak schooling access, insecurity about adolescent girls, caste or community pressure, and the belief that marriage is the main protection for a girl. For girls, early marriage often leads to early pregnancy, higher risk of maternal and infant health problems, interruption of education, lower bargaining power in the household and greater exposure to domestic violence. For society, it reduces female labour participation and blocks the development of human capital.

Exam focus: child marriage is both a legal offence and a development barrier, especially because it converts gender discrimination into health, education and livelihood loss.