Jammu and Kashmir has been facing a concerning trend of late marriages in recent years. The average age of marriage has been increasing steadily, with many men and women waiting until their late 30s or even 40s to get married. This delayed marriage phenomenon has significant social, economic and psychological implications that need to be addressed.

Causes of Late Marriages

There are several factors that contribute to late marriages in Kashmir:

• Education and Career Aspirations: Many young Kashmiris, especially women, are pursuing higher education and wanting to establish careers before settling down. This leads them to delay marriage.
• Financial Constraints: The high costs of weddings and setting up new households are deterrents for marriage. Men want financial stability before taking on the responsibilities of married life.
• Unavailability of Jobs: Lack of adequate employment opportunities for Kashmiri youth makes it difficult for them to become self-reliant and get married.
• Shift in Cultural Attitudes: The traditional culture of early marriage is changing as more people adopt modern lifestyles and attitudes. Marriage is no longer seen as a social obligation.

Impacts of Late Marriages

While there are some positive effects of late marriages like reduced teenage pregnancies and population control, the adverse impacts outweigh the benefits.

• Falling Fertility Rates: Late marriages and the tendency to have fewer children leads to lower fertility rates and population growth, which creates an aging demographic.
• Health Risks: Advanced parental age increases risks of congenital disorders and pregnancy complications. Women’s fertility also declines with age.
• Social Pressures: Unmarried youth face social stigmatization and pressures from family to conform to traditional expectations. This creates stress.
• Psychological Distress: Inability to find a partner leads to anxiety, low self-esteem and depression among youth. Women face more stigma.
• Rise in Sexual Frustration: Late marriage is linked to rising incidents of sexual crimes against women.
• Weakening Family Structures: Delay in settling down disrupts the cycle of building families and family continuity. Extended family living declines.

Strategies to Prevent Late Marriages

Concerted efforts are required from family, community and government stakeholders to facilitate timely marriages and address this social issue. Some key strategies include:

• Advocacy and Awareness: Run campaigns through media, schools and religious centers to highlight the risks of delayed marriages and reinforce the cultural value of timely marriages.
• Economic Empowerment: Provide skill development, vocational training and employment generation schemes for Kashmiri youth to improve financial capability for marriage.
• Subsidized Weddings: Government, community and religious bodies can offer financial assistance for wedding expenses through low-cost mass marriage ceremonies.
• Women’s Education: Prevent early drop-outs and encourage education and skill development for women to expand marriage prospects. But avoid very late marriages.
• Improved Safety: Enhance public safety and transport facilities so women feel secure in going for higher education or jobs away from home.
• Tax Incentives: Provide tax deductions on income tax for men marrying before 30 years of age and women marrying before 25 years.

The trend of rising age of marriage is an alarming one in Jammu & Kashmiri society. Concerted efforts are needed from all stakeholders to facilitate timely and stable marriages for the wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. The preventive strategies suggested above, if implemented, can help reverse this detrimental trend by addressing its root causes. Family is the core foundation of society. Timely marriages will strengthen Kashmiri families and its social fabric.