Friday 26 August 2011

Child Marriages

Some of the factors responsible for prevalence of child marriages in the country are: the lack of education and awareness about effects of child marriage, concerns about safety of the girl child, social customs, poor implementation of the law etc. 

The Minister of State (I/C) for Women & Child Development Smt. Krishna Tirath revealed in Lok Sabha today that the Government has written to State Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh to appoint Prohibition Officer under the Act, frames Rules and to take all possible steps to prevent child marriage, particularly, on the occasion of ‘AkhaTeej’ (AkshyaTritiya’). 

She said that besides, National Commission for Women (NCW) has requested the State Chief Ministers to sensitize and gear up the concerned machinery of the State Governments against those involved in the incidence of child marriage. 

The Minister informed the House that workshops, seminars and legal awareness camps are organised in various States including Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to spread awareness and bring attitudinal changes to prevent child marriage. 

It is to be noted here that the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act has been made effective from November 2007. Currently, under the provision of the Act, marriage involving minors has not been declared invalid. The penalties are provided only for those who promote its solemnisation. The effect of the provisions of the Act become clearer after the results of 2011 Census are published. Being a social evil, spreading education and creating awareness at the grass root level is equally essential.

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