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India Accounts for One in Three Child Brides Globally Despite Decline
M
Moneycontrol•11-10-2026, 13:29
India Accounts for One in Three Child Brides Globally Despite Decline
- •India accounts for one in every three child brides across the globe, with one in five young Indian women married before turning 18.
- •Five states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh account for over half of all child marriages in the country.
- •Child marriage prevalence has dropped sharply from over 50 percent in 1996 to just over 20 percent currently, according to UNICEF and government data.
- •Experts warn against relying solely on the national average as the issue remains severely acute in certain states and among impoverished communities.
- •Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, any sexual act by a man with his wife under 18 years of age is legally classified as rape.
Key Questions Answered
Despite a sharp decline from over 50 percent in 1996 to slightly over 20 percent currently, one in every five young women in India is still married before reaching the age of 18.
According to UNICEF and government data, five states account for more than half of the total child marriages in the country: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, any sexual act by a man with his wife who is below 18 years of age directly amounts to rape, as minors cannot legally provide consent.
