1st Edition
Revival: Child Marriage: The Indian Minotaur (1934) An Object-Lesson From the Past to the Future
The newly issued Indian Census Report for 1931 contains many disquieting revelations, but none more so than the huge increase in child marriage and the continuing enormous mortality of women due to premature maternity, bad midwifery, purdah and kindred social evils. The first part of this book exposes the futility of the steps hitherto taken to cope with child marriage. The second part discusses remedies. Wider voting rights and a larger share in administration are claimed for women, and women themselves are urged to take up the Government’s challenge, "Educate public opinion," by organising an extensive campaign of propaganda and resistance to those who break the law prohibiting child marriage. The book has a direct bearing on the problem of India’s future Constitution and contains new material concerning other problems besides that of child marriage.
Preface. Introduction. 1. Child marriage as exposed by the Joshi report 2. The Sarda Act and its effects as exposed by the 1931 census report 3. Future Remedies I: Through women’s part in the new constitution 4. Future Remedies: II. Through the education of public opinion by methods old and new.
Biography
Eleanor Florence Rathbone (12 May 1872 – 2 January 1946) was an independent British member of parliament (MP) and long-term campaigner for women's rights. She was a member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool.
