I agree with Cohen statement that “early universal marriage is a key barrier to gender equality,” which mostly affect females. Cohen concurs that early marriages are inherently harmful to the social as well as economic development of a nation. For instance, most of the girls who get married at an early age are denied the opportunity for self-development and personal growth similarly to males. Cohen also notes that marriages are mostly universe in societies that are poorer which correspondingly increases the inequality witnessed (Cohen 32-37). Early marriage is driven mainly by some social norms, which accord females little value. Some of the inequalities that result from early marriage include the right to education, the right to eventual employment, mental and physical violence including sexual abuse and exploitation, and the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of living.
Although most women in China and India are usually already married at the 30s, China has greater gender equality as compared to India. These two nations are considered middle class although the average income of the Chinese is 4.5 times greater. Cohen notes that women in Chinese marry (24 on average) at a much later age than Indians (20 on average), which creates a significant difference in development. Gender equality in China can be attributed to the Chinese government long-term investment in education for both males and females. As a result, women are much as likely as men to acquire higher education in China (Cohen 32-37). The Chinese government also promotes women participation in the labor force and a reduction in fertility rate. China ranks 40th in gender equality while India ranks 130th. Thus, the spending of less time in a marriage is a part of the global transition toward gender equality.
Work Cited
Cohen, Philip. "We Can’T Build Our Social System Around Marriage Anymore". Family Inequality, 2018, https://familyinequality.wordpress.com/2013/06/04/living-without-marriage/. Accessed 11 Oct 2018.
