The Ministry of Women and Child Development has today notified the formation of a Task Force by the Government of India to examine matters pertaining to age of motherhood, imperatives of lowering MMR, improvement of nutritional levels and related issues.
The notification has made note of a statement by Finance Minister during her budget speech for 2020-21, in the Parliament. She had stated that Women’s age of marriage was increased from fifteen years to eighteen years in 1978, by amending erstwhile Sharda Act of 1929 and as India progresses further, opportunities opened up for women to pursue higher education and careers. There are imperatives of lowering MMR as well as improvement of nutrition levels
“Entire issue about age of a girl entering motherhood needs to be seen in this light. I propose to appoint a task force that will present its recommendations in six months’ time…”, said the Finance Minister during her Budget Speech for FY 2020-21).
The Task force will examine the correlation of age of marriage and motherhood with
· health, medical well-being and nutritional status of mother and neonate/infant/child, during pregnancy, birth and thereafter
· key parameters like Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), Total Fertility Rate (TFR), Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB), Child Sex Ratio (CSR) etc. and (c) any other relevant points pertaining to health and nutrition
The Task force will suggest measures for promoting higher education among women and suggest suitable legislative instruments and amendments required in existing laws to support the recommendations of the Task Force.
The Task force will have to work out a detailed roll-out plan with timelines to implement the recommendations of the Task Force, and may invite other experts to its meetings if required.
The Task Force will be provided secretarial assistance by the NITI Aayog and will submit its report by 31st July, 2020.
-India Legal Bureau