Provision:
Protection of Family, Mother and Child
The State shall protect the marriage, the family, the mother and the child.
Meaning:
Article 35 places a constitutional obligation on the State to safeguard the foundational social unit: the family. It recognises the importance of stable family life and commits to protecting motherhood and childhood, both physically and morally.
This includes ensuring rights related to health, welfare, and dignity, particularly for vulnerable members of society like women and children.
Application:
When the government implements maternity care programmes, child protection laws, or legal safeguards against domestic violence, it is acting under Article 35.
Similarly, policies that support family unity—such as parental leave, family pensions, or legal recognition of marriage—align with this provision. Any neglect, abuse, or systemic failure to protect these groups can be seen as a violation of the spirit of this Article.
