Representative image NEW DELHI: Even as it indicated a decline in underage marriage, data released as part of the National Family Health Survey-6 (2023-24) showed that 20.1% women – in the 20-24 age group – surveyed were married before 18 years, the legal age of marriage for women. This marks a decline of a little over three percentage points when compared to NFHS-5 (2019-21) when this was 23.3%.For men – in the 25-29 age group – 15.9% had married before 21 years, the legal age of marriage.This marks a 17.7% decline from the 2019-21 survey.On gender-based violence, the report said the percentage of married women aged 18-49 years who experienced spousal violence declined from 29.2% in 2019-21 to 22.3% in 2023-24. However, a much higher percentage of rural women (24.4%) faced spousal violence compared to 17.5% urban women. This figure stood at 24.2% for urban and 31.6% for rural in 2019-21.Meanwhile, the prevalence of underage marriage, now at 20%, has witnessed a decline over NFHS rounds – it was 26.8% in 2015-16 (NFHS-4) and 47.4% in 2005-06 (NFHS-3).The 2023-2024 survey showed a wide gap in terms of the percentage of underage marriage among women in rural and urban India – 23.3% for rural and 11.4% for urban. In the 2019-21 survey, it was 27% for rural and 14.7% for urban India. The variation – rural and urban – was stark for men too.While 19% of men in rural India married before 21 years of age, this figure was 9.7% in urban India.In 2019-21, this was 11.3% for men in urban areas and 21.1% in rural areas.The report also brought into focus the percentage of women in the 15-19 years age group who were already mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey. This was nearly the same as the last survey at 6.7% In case of gender-based sexual violence, the data showed that women aged 19-29 years who had experienced such violence by 18 years of age accounted for 0.7% of those surveyed, and this was down from 1.2% in 2019-21.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTechnical Glitch Or Governance Failure: Who Is Accountable For Tourist Safety Disasters?Congress Eyes “Kerala Model” For Karnataka Cabinet Amid Siddaramaiah Exit Buzz“Some People Trying To Misuse CID”: Kunal Ghosh Questions Agency Visit To His HomeSupreme Court Pulls Up NTA Over NEET 2026 Leak | Centre Says PM Modi Supervising Reforms’No Need To Sing Vande Matram In…’ Pinarayi Vijayan Hits out at Centre, BJP After Row In Assembly₹1,000 Crore for Damage Control: The Real Cost of India’s Exam CrisisWhy Japan Banned Indian Mango Shipments, Alphonso & Kesar Exports Face Major Crisis?335 Detainees Held As Bengal Activates Holding Centres Under Detect Delete Deport PolicyCyprus Plans BrahMos Missile Purchase From India, Raising Security Concerns In TurkeySupreme Court Allows Vinesh Phogat To Participate In Asian Games Trials123Photostories7 alligator facts that sound hard to believe10 unique sea snakes and places they can be found on beach by travellersMorning affirmation at 5 am: What you say to yourself before sunrise may affect your mood all dayHow to make Mushroom Oats Omelette for summer breakfast5 Snakes that love British gardensBefore Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: 7 sports child wonderkids who changed historyMeghan Markle’s favourite summer fashion picks just got a massive price dropFrom ‘National Treasure’ to ‘Longlegs’: Top 5 Nicolas Cage movies you need to watch right nowPoha turns mushy and soggy? 4 common mistakes that people commit and easy fixes7 foods linked to healthy aging and longevity123Hot PicksSimone BilesVinesh PhogatMonsoon ForecastHenry Nowak murderFrancisco CerundoloDonald TrumpGold price predictionTop TrendingBenjamin NetanyahuD GukeshVaibhav sooryavanshi IPL auctionPunjab Local Body Election ResultCockroach Janta PartySupreme CourtNEET UG 2026 fee refundBSEB Bihar Sakashmta Pariksha Admit CardNTANEET Paper Leak
NEW DELHI: Even as it indicated a decline in underage marriage, data released as part of the National Family Health Survey-6 (2023-24) showed that 20.1% women – in the 20-24 age group – surveyed were married before 18 years, the legal age of marriage for women. This marks a decline of a little over three percentage points when compared to NFHS-5 (2019-21) when this was 23.3%.For men – in the 25-29 age group – 15.9% had married before 21 years, the legal age of marriage.This marks a 17.7% decline from the 2019-21 survey.On gender-based violence, the report said the percentage of married women aged 18-49 years who experienced spousal violence declined from 29.2% in 2019-21 to 22.3% in 2023-24. However, a much higher percentage of rural women (24.4%) faced spousal violence compared to 17.5% urban women. This figure stood at 24.2% for urban and 31.6% for rural in 2019-21.Meanwhile, the prevalence of underage marriage, now at 20%, has witnessed a decline over NFHS rounds – it was 26.8% in 2015-16 (NFHS-4) and 47.4% in 2005-06 (NFHS-3).The 2023-2024 survey showed a wide gap in terms of the percentage of underage marriage among women in rural and urban India – 23.3% for rural and 11.4% for urban. In the 2019-21 survey, it was 27% for rural and 14.7% for urban India. The variation – rural and urban – was stark for men too.While 19% of men in rural India married before 21 years of age, this figure was 9.7% in urban India.In 2019-21, this was 11.3% for men in urban areas and 21.1% in rural areas.The report also brought into focus the percentage of women in the 15-19 years age group who were already mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey. This was nearly the same as the last survey at 6.7% In case of gender-based sexual violence, the data showed that women aged 19-29 years who had experienced such violence by 18 years of age accounted for 0.7% of those surveyed, and this was down from 1.2% in 2019-21.
