The Big Picture: Raising Marriageable Age for Women

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16th October assured the girls of the country that the government will decide the right age for marriage as soon as a concerned committee gives its report. In June this year, the Centre had formed a 10-member task force under Jaya Jaitley, to recommend whether the legal age of marriage for women could be changed from 18 years. The proposal to raise the legal age for marriage of women carries “enormous" economic and social gains for India, according to a State Bank of India report. The report titled, "Increasing the legal age of women’s marriage: A dominant strategy for societal good, financially empowering women," counts benefits such as lowering maternal deaths and improving nutrition levels in the near term to putting more girls in college and enabling women to achieve greater financial independence in the long-term. In this edition of The Big Picture we will analyse the issue of Raising Marriageable Age for Women.

Guests:
1- Shankar Aggarwal, Former Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development
2- Ruby Bhardwaj, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Delhi University
3- Prof. Charan Singh, Economist & CEO, EGROW Foundation

Anchor: Frank Rausan Pereira

Producer: Sagheer Ahmad

[radhikatalekar]

It is unusual to see an economist only talk about women as objects of labour and productivity and not as Human capital. I was looking forward to an insightful discussion, with MORE WOMEN engaging in the talk for "Raising marriage age for WOMEN". Marriage being a sociological concept, more focus should have been on the life of women for herself. Everyone is talking about how this will benefit the economy and the society but not the ridiculously simple notion of women being able to be independent and make an informed decision (without the pressure of families). On one hand, the secretary talks about empowering women and skilling them and on the other hand, just 30 seconds ago, he was speaking about how after marriage women have to have flexible jobs to accommodate their shifting after getting married.

And I have one more question for the panelists or the directors of this program. WHY ARE THEY CONFUSING GETTING MARRIED WITH MOTHERHOOD????! IT IS 2020. WHY PROMOTE THIS NOTION OF WOMEN JUMPING TO MOTHERHOOD AFTER MARRIAGE OR THAT IT IS CONDITIONAL TO GET MARRIED TO BE A MOTHER? Even though this is what happens in the majority of India, still open your minds no.

I really like the perspective of Dr. Ruby Bhardwarj. I truly felt this discussion was generic. And why take the opinion of these MEN about the marriageable age of women? Try asking women of marriageable age, ask them. Even the host asked the secretary because of his position but this discussion about women even on such a national platform doesn't really follow sufficient WOMEN ENGAGEMENT.

PLEASE GET YOUNGER PANELISTS (Experts from Sociology, Psychology, and Economics background - policymakers and educators) for such topics, WHO ARE TO BE MARRIED OR RECENTLY MARRIED AND NOT THESE WHO HAVE ALREADY LIVED THEIR MARRIAGEABLE AGE AND won't BE AFFECTED BY THIS DECISION. It would put some relevant points in the discussions just like how you get experts on international affairs and technology for other shows.

This is my personal opinion. This is not to hurt anyone but only to inform those creating and watching this programme that there are women who have a perspective distinct from those published. And if these panelists can give their generic opinions on matters, I surely have the right to express my disappointment.

Thank you very much for reading.

[ShubhamAgrawal]

Points to be noted...
1) As our Constitution gives us the right to equality so there should be same marriageable age for girl and boy.
2) If girls are married at an early age then in most of the cases that they are directly or indirectly forced into domestic work and motherhood duties so we loose working force which may contribute in the growth of the nation.
3) Our maternal mortality rate is far higher even than our neighbors such as Nepal, Shri Lanka. So there is need to reduce this and it can be achieved by increasing the age of marriage of women because if women is married at an later age then she will be able to get better education, better mentally prepare for motherhood duties.
4) There are child marriage because family thinks their girls child as a burden and the main factor behind this mentality is that there is lack of security for women as we have seen horrific rapes and murder of women so family think this security as their burden and want to get rid of them, therefore if we want to change this mentality we need to provide security to our girls.
5) There are various studies which shows that if girl is delivering a babu at a later age then there are less chances of child wasting and stunting.
6) At last only by increasing the age of marriage we can't secure a better life for girls with providing them better education, health care, social and economic opportunity.

[AnjaliSharma-dsqc]

Child marriage is still not just a matter of poverty it also a reason of patriarchal thinking patriarchal society

[baldeepsinghsamra]

Arnab goswami must take coaching from Frank R pereira about how to debate.

[esthermashangva]

Educate women, need not worry about age. She will eventually know when she'll get married once she's educated.

[Aipkaunaampa]

Rural area's people would be developed in future, if woman high literate.

[petcentrekollam]

A debate that truly proves the quality of discussion.. the flow it has and the satisfaction poured in to our mind after watching this are remarkable..the one who screaming, barking and beating each other in tv debates must learn from this.. Great applause to Frank Rausen pereira💐

[pS-tslr]

Atleast, women and men should be
Same age of marriage.

[gangagopinathan]

Just a single woman in the panel in itself shows how lopsided and bad the condition is 😦

[shankarmurthygm]

I strongly agree with prof DR.Rubi Bharadwaj.

[vatsalamansharamani]

is it hard for the secretary to spell out 21 as the appropriate marriageable age ?!! what is 20 years and 6 months here and there. just say 21! is it that hard?

[jkhkshri]

Loved this programme ❤❤....raising the age is highly required

[AjitSingh-hovh]

Why in marriages, it is compulsory to have child, why cant they adopt a child and continue job. Why to put unnecessary burden on the nation by producing child.

[Karan-wzpt]

I was waiting for this issue to be discussed, this was a very informative talk. Every panelists had very convincing points.
And i loved MADAM's idea of this issue being more about gender parity.
Beautiful Talk🙏

[shubhamtripathi]

UPSC aspirants please tell if this debate is relevant under GS1 Role of women and women’s organization or not, as far as i believe its relevent

[Somesome]

Raising marriageable age is a welcome step. However it's not a panacea for solving the problems of women's in India.

[minuteschool]

Government took right decision that increasing age would be good for women.

[tanishqshree]

Do not forget..
In the word Woman, man exists...
Here, still some married Men are called nurse's flower ..they are treated with extra facilities..
As far as the biggest problem is concerned
Here, Girl child is naurished by focusing that she will be married one day..( This becomes the dream of parents..it doesn't matter she is intelligent or not in studies or she is the future of upcoming generation )..But, in the case of boy child, parents thinks about his future like Mukesh Ambani, Mark Jukarnbarg...
Due to this, Most of intellectual women don't come in spotlight directly ..she works as dark horse.
Firstly, Parents needs to learn parenting.
We are saying that Girls are killing on the road in broad day light..I want to ask one thing..
Is she secured in the womb of a mother...Nope..Shame!Shame!
Here, Not only Non - loving things categorised but also God ....
Some were saying about finance minister Mrs. Nirmla Sitaraman..
During the election all of parties show women impowerment by appointing a woman at higher post ...after the election everything becomes vice- versa..
Just see in the case of Smriti irani..
The journey from educational minister to clothes minister..
Kitab chhinkar kapda pakda diya gya silne ke liye..
Is this new india..
Don't forget.. who leaded women for instance, Europe countries they are counted as dramatic country
Rethink once Again ....Time flies so fast !!!

[anshureyansh]

I have a question -There are so many girls and boys school . Parents mostly prefer these types of school over co-ed. I mean this show orthodox feelings .why these types of school are legalized?? And what is the psychology behind establishing these types of schools???

[t_b]

This is how intellectuals deliberate. And remember how our beloved Shaktiman Mr. Khanna gave such Misogynistic comments. Such a shame!