Why in news?
- The Centre has informed the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that a Special Task Force has been formed to study the issue of minimum age of girls entering motherhood
Significance
- Women’s age of marriage was increased from fifteen years to eighteen years in 1978, by amending erstwhile Sharda Act of 1929.
- As India progresses further, opportunities open up for women to pursue higher education and careers
- There are imperatives of lowering maternal mortality rate [MMR] as well as improvement of nutrition levels. Entire issue about age of a girl entering motherhood needs to be seen in this light
- More than 125 countries in the world have a uniform age of marriage for men and women.
- The National Human Rights Commission, pursuant to the National Conference on Child Marriage held in New Delhi in August 2018, recommended that India follow suit and bring uniformity in the minimum age limits
