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@article{191173,
        author = {Ganta Satyanarayana and Ghanta Yaswanth Sai},
        title = {Stolen Childhoods and Silent Laws: A Socio-Legal Inquiry into the Persistence of Child Marriage in India},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {8},
        pages = {8954-8960},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=191173},
        abstract = {Child marriage continues to pose a serious socio-legal and human rights challenge in India, despite the existence of comprehensive statutory protections. Deeply embedded in historical traditions, patriarchal social structures, gender inequality, and economic deprivation, the practice disproportionately affects girls and deprives them of education, health, autonomy, and dignity. This study critically examines the socio-legal landscape of child marriage in India by analysing the interaction between legal frameworks and prevailing social realities. Employing a doctrinal and qualitative socio-legal research methodology, the paper reviews constitutional provisions, key legislations such as the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, judicial interpretations, and international human rights instruments including CEDAW and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, supplemented by secondary data from governmental and international reports. The findings reveal that although legal reforms have contributed to a gradual decline in child marriage rates, enforcement gaps, social acceptance, poverty, lack of education, and entrenched gender norms continue to undermine legal effectiveness. The persistence of child marriage highlights a significant disconnect between law in theory and law in practice. The study concludes that child marriage in India is not merely a legal infraction but a multidimensional socio-economic and human rights issue requiring holistic intervention. It emphasizes that legal prohibition alone is insufficient and must be complemented by gender-sensitive education, economic empowerment, community engagement, and institutional accountability. The paper advocates for an integrated, rights-based policy approach that aligns legal enforcement with social transformation to ensure the effective eradication of child marriage in India.},
        keywords = {Child Marriage; Socio-Legal Analysis; Gender Inequality; Human Rights; Legal Enforcement; India},
        month = {February},
        }