Help stop Child Marriage. #IndiChange #RingtheBell
Lets face it - In India we are still having Child Marriages...
We can say it is happening only in rural India, we can say it is due to screwed Male to Female ratio, or we can say it is due to people who are challenged Intellectually... But we are having it...
Not many days ago I read an article mentioning that India is leading on World's Child Marriages - UN. Artile link here. Article mentions that "Every second girl in India is married underage, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)". I was shocked to notice that. I used to think that this practise is going down day by day - Alaas I was wrong :(
Lets start with what Indian Law talks about this - Refer The Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929. In 2006 the government of India updated legislations regarding child marriage and passed the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Detailed Report.
Indian Government have Law against all the involved parties eg Male who contracts a child marriage, parents, performer, everyone involved... however the duration of punishment and severity must be increased. A better and robust law can help in bringing the situation under control.
Of course government and and owners of Law and Order are doing whatever can do however we as 'Jagruk' (enlightened) citizens can also play vital role in stopping Child Marriage. I guess some of the simple things which anyone can do are as below :
1) Inform Police
2) Inform Childline India – Call 1098 –
 |
| Childline India |
Details here.
Childline Project across India is supported by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS).
a. UNICEF defines child marriage as marriage before 18 years of age and considers this practise as a violation of human rights.
b. The harmful consequences of child marriage are segregation from family and friends, limiting the child's interactions with the community and peers, lack of opportunities for education.
c. Girl children often face situations of bonded labour, enslavement, commercial sexual exploitation and violence as a result of child marriage.
d. Because of lack of protection child brides are often exposed to serious health risks, early pregnancy, and various STDs especially HIV/AIDS
4) Oppose it once – Oppose it everytime
Some more suggestions are welcome.
This post is submitted as a part of awareness program against Child Marriage by www.bellbajao.org (#RingTheBell) www.Indiblogger.in and http://indichange.org/
Comments