The status of child marriage in India: A guide for NGOs and CSOs on using the law to end child marriages in India

Objectives

The guide aims to equip NGOs and civil society organisations in India with practical knowledge to use the law to prevent and respond to child marriage. It seeks to explain the scale, history, causes and consequences of child, early and forced marriage, clarify the international and national legal framework including recent case law, and show how to work with child marriage prohibition officers, child protection systems and the police. It also intends to strengthen advocacy and legal counselling skills by providing concrete procedures, sample applications and a directory of key officials so that frontline actors can act quickly when a child is at risk.

Findings

The guide shows that India has the largest absolute number of child brides in the world and that around one quarter of girls are still married before age 18, with higher rates in rural areas and in states such as Bihar, West Bengal and Rajasthan. It notes that NFHS data indicate progress over time but that official figures likely understate the problem because families are increasingly aware of the law and may conceal child marriages. It finds that child marriage is driven by intersecting factors including poverty, gender discrimination, dowry, caste norms, control of girls’ sexuality, weak implementation of laws and the role of local power structures such as panchayats. The guide documents serious consequences for girls’ health, education, safety and economic prospects, including early pregnancy, domestic violence, school dropout and trafficking. It highlights that the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act offers important tools such as injunctions, voidability of marriages and maintenance orders, but enforcement is uneven, conviction rates are low, CMPOs are under-resourced and there are tensions between statutory law and personal laws. It also finds that COVID-19 has intensified many risk factors by disrupting schooling, reducing household income, limiting access to services and increasing domestic violence, while at the same time some adolescents are starting to use helplines and legal remedies themselves to resist forced marriages.

Summary

The guide describes the scale, drivers and consequences of child marriage in India and situates the practice within the country’s legal and policy framework. It explains how international human rights standards, national legislation and recent case law address child, early and forced marriage and how these norms are applied in practice across different states. The report analyses NFHS and other data, explores how COVID-19 has intensified risks, and highlights gaps in enforcement, coordination and protection. It also provides practical guidance on using the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and child protection mechanisms, including examples of legal strategies, counselling approaches and a directory of child marriage prohibition officers for frontline use.

Purpose

The guide aims to support NGOs and civil society organisations to use the law more effectively to prevent and respond to child marriage in India. It seeks to build their understanding of the legal framework, strengthen their capacity to advise and accompany girls at risk, and improve collaboration with child protection authorities, police and courts. By translating complex legal provisions into practical tools and procedures, it intends to help practitioners intervene quickly in individual cases, advocate for stronger implementation, and contribute to ending child marriage during and beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

Audience

The target audience is mainly;

• NGOs and civil society organisations in India that work directly with girls at risk of child marriage.
• Frontline workers such as social workers, community organisers and paralegals, child marriage prohibition officers and child protection officials, lawyers and legal aid providers, police and local administration
• State and district-level government actors involved in child protection and women’s rights.