Amidst the raging debate on the Uniform Civil Code, the National Commission for Women will this week release a first of its kind report on the rights of Muslim women in the country. The findings based on a series of consultants organised by the commission with the women from the community will be shared in presence of Law Minister Arjun Meghwal.
NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said that they have been holding deliberations for over a year. “We had four zonal meetings across the country on the legal rights of Muslim women, keeping in mind gender equality. Saturday’s programme is the final meeting where we will unveil our findings,” Sharma said.
Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is likely to attend the programme.
In December last year, the NCW, in a plea in the Supreme Court, sought to increase the marriageable age for Muslim women, to make it on par with that of women of other religions.
The women’s body contended that all personal laws were in line with penal provisions, barring Muslim personal laws. The NCW said that as per the Indian Christian Marriage Act 1872, Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act 1936, Special Marriage Act 1954, and Hindu Marriage Act 1955, the minimum age of marriage for a man is 21 and woman 18 years.
The NCW said that, under the Muslim Personal Law “which continues to remain uncodified and unconsolidated, persons who attain puberty are eligible to get married, i.e. on attaining the age of 15 years…while they are still minor”.
Published 12 July 2023, 16:20 IST