India raises legal marriage age for women: Teach your daughters about their rights
Since 1978, the legal marriage age for women in India has been 18 years. However, recently, on 15th December 2021, the Central government’s Union Cabinet has declared its intention to raise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years, bringing it at par with that of men. This change has been brought about to ensure the much-needed gender equality in India.
Well, every human being deserves to be treated equally, irrespective of gender, caste, and religion. Unfortunately, that’s not the case in our country. Women are being discriminated against in India through ages. So, it’s important that as a parent, it’s your duty to make your daughter aware of the rights she is entitled to as a female Indian citizen. Here are the most important ones.
Right to equal pay
According to the Equal Remuneration Act of the Indian constitution, Indian women are entitled to demand equal salary as that of men in the same role or position and any form of discrimination on the basis of gender is considered to be an outlaw.
Right to dignity and decency
If a woman is uncomfortable while getting a medical examination done by a male medical practitioner, she is entitled to refuse it and wait till the event can happen in presence of another woman.
Right against workplace harassment
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act enables Indian women to file an official complaint against the perpetrators in case she is harassed in her workplace by a male or even a female colleague. In fact, this act allows a woman to submit a written complaint to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the respective organisation within a period of 3 months of the harassment.
Right to keep their identity anonymous
In case of any form of sexual assault, a woman in India is not legally bound to disclose her identity while filing a complaint. In fact, to protect her privacy, she can even record the complaint in front of the district magistrate alone or in presence of a female police officer.
Right to Zero FIR
The Supreme Court of India passed a law called right to zero FIR according to which female victims can lodge complaints at any police station irrespective of the location or jurisdiction. In fact, under zero FIR, a case can be transferred to another police station in whose jurisdiction the case falls. This was implemented to save valuable time and catch the perpetrators as soon as possible.