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Freedom of Marriage/Forced Marriage

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Submitted By ebrunur
Words 1366
Pages 6
How would you feel if you were promised to be married when you were just 11 months?
The issue of forced marriage is a form of human trafficking. The international centre on research on women states that in developing countries 1 in 3 girls are said to be married before 18. Forced marriage is a form of violence against women and girls. It can lead to a range of negative consequences for victims, including physical, sexual, and psychological violence. This is however against Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating “Parties take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations.”
India has the highest number of child brides in the world. Major factors influencing child marriage are economic considerations and religiously binding laws. The issue of forced marriage is evident in a case in India where a women named Santadevi Meghwal, discovered at the age of 16 that she had been entered into an arranged marriage when she was just 11 months. This case is against Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 23 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This covenant takes appropriate steps to ensure equality of rights and responsibilities of spouses as to marriage. Furthermore the Human Rights Council adopts resolution to end early and forced marriage. However, a statistic from the “Girls not Bride”, has stated that” 41,000 girls per day 28 girls every minute 1 girl every 2 seconds is forced to get married “. This communicates that the covenants are ineffective.
Women and girls in India have fairly equitable rights under the law when entering into or dissolving a marriage. Indian citizens may elect to be married under civil marriage laws, or religion based laws. Domestically in India, The Prohibition of Child Marriages Act, was

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