4.8 While the Commission fully accepts the view that major social and economic efforts are required to bring an end to the practice of child marriage amongst those sections of society and communities where such marriages have long been conducted, it cannot but express the view that the response of the Central Government in the "Action Taken Memorandum" amounts, essentially, to a total disinclination to strengthen or alter the law, in any respect, or indeed to see to its better implementation in any manner, in respect of this very important social and cultural problem. The Commission cannot accept the view that the responsibility of the Central Government ceases because the present Act is administered by the State Governments or that the issue of personal laws should be advanced to block any effort whatsoevdr in this overall matter. The The Commission accordingly intends to pursue this matter further. Commission is df the view that the matter of child marriage cannot be allowed to rest with the timeiess exhortation that 'only through social and economic uplift" can this practice be "better eradicated," as that would amount to acquiescing in an abdication of responsibility which the Commission, for its part, considers inappropriate. 4.9 (D) IMPLEMENTATION OF TREATIES & OTHER INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS 4.1 0 The principal effort of the Commission in 1996-97 related to the 1984 United Nation Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Punishment or Treatment. In particular, the Comrnissipn marshalled its arguments in favour of the country acceding to this Convention in a paper to be presented to the Prime Minister and others for a meeting scheduled to be held on 4 April 1997. (see paragraphs 3.28-3.32 above for the details). 4.1 1 In a range of other matters, the Commission drew upon tndia's obligations under its treaty commitments, or its involvement in the adoption of other international instruments, to press for their proper observance in respect of a variety of human rights. References are made to these treaties and instruments, while discussing individual issues, throughout this report. Suffice it to say that, three and a half years after it was established, the Commission's daily reliance on these treaties and instruments in the examination of issues before it, has Ied to an increasing realization, in various sections of Government, and at various levels of it, that India's commitments.are to be honoured not in the breach, but in practice. ,