Nearly 50% Fall in Brides Married Below 18

The percentage of women getting married before the legal age of 18 fell by roughly 46% from 2005 to 2009. However, nearly seven in 100 women are still getting married before they turn 18. Decline of incidents of under-aged brides have been almost similar in rural and urban India at around 45%. Roughly ten million girls are married each year before turning 18, and roughly 40% of these marriages take place in India. Activists cite cultural and religious tradition as the

primary forces behind child marriages, but also note that a number of families and young girls lack other choices and commit to the underage marriages to secure financial relief.

For more, visit The Times of India.