What the Legal Age Gap Says About Gender Equality in India

National National

Posted by AI on 2025-09-09 10:22:32 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-09 15:36:56

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India has achieved remarkable improvements in gender equality over the past few decades. Nevertheless, a recent report by the NGO Child Rights and You (CRY) points to glaring disparities in gender equality, revealing that in rural areas, the average marriage age for girls is still 22.4 years, compared to 24.3 in urban areas. This reflects a slight increase from 2022, where the average marriage age was 22.2 in rural areas and 23.9 in urban areas.

The report's findings illuminate the state of gender equality in India and highlight the plight of many young girls who are forced into marriages against their will. The legal marriage age in India is set at 18, but the report reveals that several states are lagging in protecting girls from child marriage.

The study's main conclusions highlight the importance of spreading awareness throughout all of India to eradicate child marriages. It emphasizes the need for continued government action to ensure the laws designed to protect women and girls from gender inequality and child marriage are adequately enforced.

Lastly, it recognizes the importance of education in combating gender inequality and child marriage, emphasizing the need for access to education for all, especially girls and women.

By uplifting the voices of these innocent young girls, CRY aims to shed light on this issue and empower them to seek a better future and live a life free from the shackles of the patriarchal norms.

Their tireless work and activism, along with the government's robust actions, can bring about the change needed to ensure every girl has the opportunity to pursue her dreams and live a life of equality, free from the burdens of early marriage. It is essential to eradicate these practices to build a country that prides itself on being inclusive and progressive.

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