“When the legal age reaches 21, is it reprimanded if a person in a sexual relationship between 18 and 20 is reprimanded or if the age of majority also increases to 21 for girls,” Tuteja asked. In India, child marriage has always been a stumbling block for women. While it was endemic in all parts of the country, government rules and actions managed to remove it to some extent and sweep it under the rug, but it is still widespread. It continues, under the guise of a social marriage, which is not legalized until the girl reaches the age of 18. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chairman Asaduddin Owasi called the bill “ridiculous” and said women and men would be legally allowed to marry at the age of 18. If they are treated as adults by law for all other purposes, why not for marriage? In a series of tweets, Owaisi criticized the government for its “paternalism.” According to experts, many girls decide to marry early to get rid of abusive homes where they are seen as a burden and need to be married. They see marriage as an option for freedom. However, the implementation of this law could be a game changer. “When we talk about gender equality and gender empowerment in all areas, we can`t skip marriage because it`s a very strange message that girls can marry at 18, which takes away their chance to go to university and the man has the opportunity to prepare for life and earn until 21. But nowadays, when girls are able to do so many things, and the main reason they marry is because they are not a family member who earns an income, but why do we allow them to feel that way,” she told PTI. “This is a big step forward,” said Prachi Chauhan, 17, one of the activists. “Such a law will help reduce social and parental pressures to marry soon after the 18th birthday that many girls face.” The Indian government plans to raise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21.
Among men, there are already 21. The government argues that this will empower women and ensure gender parity. This may seem possible at first glance, but in the context of increasing social and state control over marriage, the proposed law may be troubling. As critics have pointed out, an 18-year-old can vote and is considered an adult in other laws, but when it comes to marriage, anyone up to 21 is considered a child. Another concern is that women currently of legal age of 18 have been forced to marry by their families against their will or have not been allowed to be with those they loved and wanted to marry. However, as the legal age is now 21, girls will not be able to marry as soon as possible after their choice, and they will be forced to live with their controlling and intrusive families for an extended period of time. This time could also be abused by patriarchal families to restrict and control their activities. In this context, there is also no guarantee that raising the legal age limit will enable more families to provide education for girls. Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States and its inhabitants are U.S. citizens.
In Puerto Rico, the general age of marriage is 21, as that is the age of majority. The general age of marriage in Puerto Rico is 21 or 18 with parental consent. [35] In Guam, the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds may marry with the consent of at least one parent or guardian. [36] In American Samoa, the age of marriage has been 18 for both sexes since September 2018. Previously, the age of marriage for women was 14. [37] American Samoa does not allow marriages with minors. In the District of Columbia, the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds may marry with exceptions. [35] In the U.S.
Virgin Islands, the age of marriage is 14 for women and 16 for men. [38] In the Northern Mariana Islands, men must be 18 to marry, while women can marry at 16 with parental consent. [39] With the minimum age of marriage of 21, a woman will be better able to defend herself mentally, physically and financially if she is pressured or abused by her family for marrying early or marrying against her will. Teenage pregnancies are associated with a high risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, which is life-threatening for both the child and the mother. Therefore, raising the legal age of marriage will help reduce maternal mortality and will also have a positive impact on women`s mental health. The most important advantage is that this step is a step towards gender equality as it makes the legal age of marriage equal for men and women, which is in line with the right to equal treatment under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution. So why did the Modi government act to raise the legal age of marriage for women? For example, young couples sometimes run away from home to get married, hoping to avoid harassment and emotional blackmail from family members. And if they are over 18, their decision to marry is legally valid and cannot be appealed by the parents. “The law is being used as a weapon to serve honor, caste and communal controls against young couples without stopping underage marriages,” the report said. “The outcome of the law will leave girls without a voice in personal decisions longer, with legal support. The Indian government has proposed raising the minimum legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21.
Currently, the legal age for marriage is 18; For men, the corresponding age is 21 years. A bill to formalize such a change in law was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 21. However, after opposition from opposition parties, it was sent to a parliamentary body for further evaluation. According to the draft law, the new minimum age for women should prevail over all personnel laws; Therefore, the legal age of marriage will be raised for all women, regardless of their religion. In 1978, the Indian government raised the legal age from 15 to 18 for girls and from 18 to 21 for boys. Proponents of raising the family age for women argue that currently many girls are forced to drop out of university to marry, and that raising the legal age of marriage to 21 would give them time to continue their education and provide higher education. Another claim is that teenage pregnancies increase the possibility of high blood pressure, anemia, and many other health problems in the mother, and can also lead to serious pregnancy complications that can lead to the death of the mother. For this reason, raising the age of marriage for girls could help reduce the maternal mortality rate. Early marriages also cause mental health problems, according to studies, so raising the legal age is believed to reduce the possibility of mental health problems among child brides. Finally, the decision is also presented as an affirmation of the principle of gender neutrality by aligning the minimum age of women with that of men.