Purnendu Modak
University of Calcutta
Kolkata
Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the relationship between child marriage and women empowerment with physical violence among high Prevalence states in India using NFHS-4 unit level data. In this study, empowerment index was calculated taking into account parameters such as mobility, economic independence and decision making power of woman using Principal Component Analysis. The effect of age at marriage and women empowerment was tested by using logistic regression model. The findings of the study suggest that the lower level of women empowerment was significantly associated with physical violence among all high prevalence state in India and marriage before the age of 15 year was associated with physical violence in Bihar (OR = 3.27, p < 0.001), Andhra Pradesh (OR=3.12, P<0.001), Telangana (OR = 3.22, p<0.001 and Tamil Nadu (.OR = 1.23, p< 0.001 ). The mean age at marriage was low among women who reported physical violence as compared to those who did not reported any physical violence among all high prevalence state in India. Although the majority of women in Bihar justified wife beating and witnessed father beating mother as compared to the women from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. Therefore, the policy level intervention should focus on to increase the family planning programme, female education, employment opportunities, establish women study center to provide treatment and to recognize violence against women that can leads to curbing the Physical violence among women in India.
Key words: Child Marriage, Women Empowerment, Physical Violence, India
JEL classification: I10, I12, J10, J12
