Democratic Women's Association opposes raising women’s marriage age, not conducive to women empowerment

NEW DELHI: All India Democratic Women's Association opposed the decision making the marriage age of women from 18 to 21. The association pointed that the decision would undermine the existing system and only have the opposite effect. The association said the move to empower women is ineffective as the central government has failed to meet the basic needs of the people like nutrition, education and employment.

CPM leader Brinda Karat also came forward against the central government's decision. The decision is not conducive to women's empowerment and the first priority is to ensure nutrition and education for women.

The Muslim League is also against raising the marriage age. League MPs moved an adjournment motion in both houses of parliament to discuss the issue. The league alleged that raising the age of marriage from 18 to 21 will have far-reaching consequences and is a move towards a unified civil code. It was also alleged that this is an encroachment against the Muslim Personal Law. The official stand of the Congress on the issue has not yet been clarified.

The bill to raise the age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 will be submitted in the present session of the Parliament. The bill was approved by the Cabinet yesterday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in his Independence Day speech last year that the age of marriage for women would be raised.

The Special Marriage Act, the Child Marriage Prohibition Act of 2006 and the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 will be amended for this purpose. Of these three rules, the minimum age for marriage is 18 for women and 21 for men. The minimum age of marriage for women was raised from 15 to 18 in 1978.