Eliminating Child Marriage in India: A Backdoor Approach to Alleviating Human Rights Violations

Abstract

Despite its illegality, child marriage occurs throughout the Indian landscape. In her book, Child Marriage in India: Socio-legal and Human Rights Dimensions, Jaya Sagade examines the prevalence of child marriage among India’s various cultures and its impact on the human rights of young women. Sagade asserts that, notwithstanding minimal legislative efforts, the Indian government has not met the obligations set forth in the international human rights conventions that the country has ratified. Sagade asserts that the Indian government must not only work diligently to change the nation’s views on child marriage, but must also legislate more cohesively to prohibit the practice. This Book Review takes Sagade’s human-rights-based proposals a step further and suggests that, in a country reluctant to release longstanding traditions, addressing the Indian tax system and dowry laws will provide a more practical, financial incentive for eliminating the practice of child marriage.