By Ranjana Kumari,
director of the Delhi-based Centre for Social Research and chairwoman of Women Power Connect
The Centre’s decision to raise women’s minimum age of marriage from 18 to 21 years brings uniformity between men and women. It intends to disable child marriages and prevent the abuse of minors. Empowerment, not population control, is the aim.
The decision was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech. The task force headed by Jaya Jaitly had backing from health, law, and women and child development ministries, and the clearance came after extensive consultations with experts and more importantly, young women, as it affects them directly.