A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LEGAL AGE AND MARRIAGE IN DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS ; A COMPARISON BETWEEN INDIA AND SUB-SAHARAN COUNTRIES
AUTHOR – ABHINANDHAN H, STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF LAW, CHRIST (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY), BENGALURU
BEST CITATION – ABHINANDHAN H, A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LEGAL AGE AND MARRIAGE IN DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS ; A COMPARISON BETWEEN INDIA AND SUB-SAHARAN COUNTRIES, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (1) OF 2025, PG. 1035-1039, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.
ABSTRACT
This study examines international concerns related to marriage laws, with a particular focus on the legal age of marriage in different nations, and a comparative examination of Indian rules. It looks at the justifications for establishing particular legal marriage ages as well as the sociocultural effects of these laws, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The legal age of marriage in India is normally 18 for women and 21 for men, despite the fact that different religious groups have different marriage laws, such as the Muslim Personal Law and the Hindu Marriage Act (1955). The research emphasizes how difficult it is to oversee a multicultural legal system. The approach taken by India is compared with that of Sub-Saharan African nations, where child marriage is still common even though laws have been passed to set an 18-year-old minimum marriage age. Despite governmental efforts to set a minimum marriage age of 18, child marriage is nevertheless common. Cultural, religious, and economic issues are the reasons behind the continued practice of child marriage in the area. The study uses secondary sources, international agreements, legislation, and doctrinal research methodology to examine the legal systems of Sub-Saharan Africa and India. The results highlight the necessity of enforcing marriage rules more strictly, and they include suggestions for increasing India’s legal marriage age for women and stiffer punishments for those who violate the law by marrying children. The study emphasizes how crucial it is to implement child rights laws consistently and effectively around the world.