A lot has happened in Rajasthan for the protection of interests of children – be it child labour or child marriage. Recently Rajasthan launched a first-of-its-kind strategic action plan aimed to prevent child marriages.
This is a comprehensive plan aimed towards transforming patriarchal mindsets of a majority of masses. Not only this, it’s objective is to upscale access to quality health services and ensuring impartation of standardised education.
The plan is also centred towards bolstering dreams of all youths – boys and girls who would want to pursue careers of their choice in future.
If this wasn’t enough, the government also incorporated a data management system to record, track and trace child marriages in state.
Not only the women and child development, but also the district administration is in talks with concerned officials to develop district-specific action plans, subject to the comparative area concentration ratio of child marriages (high, medium or low).
According to the report, child marriages often took place on auspicious days such as Akshay Tritiya/Akha Teej and Peepal Purnima. For cost-cutting purposes, marriages were also conducted on Mrityubhoj/Mausar ( when a family member dies). On these festivals especially, the plan would be super alert.
“Evidence from several research studies clearly indicates that not only is child marriage a gross violation of human rights, but it also tends to impact most aspects of human life. Early child and forced marriages curtail freedom of choice, opportunities and agency, besides reinforcing existing structural inequalities related to age, gender, class, caste, religion, sexuality and political economy,” the report says.
A function was organized by the department of women and child development to launch the State Strategy and Action Plan for Prevention of Child Marriage in capital city. This function was powered in partnership with UNFPA and UNICEF on Sunday.
Diego Palacios, country representative, UNFPA India & Bhutan, said, “The percentage of women who were married before 18 years in the state has come down by nearly half over the last 10 years.”
He added, “A lot more still remains to be achieved. Even today, many girls start but do not finish school; many girls are married before they are equipped to make their own decisions. Many women, both married and unmarried, are vulnerable to gender-based violence; and many women still suffer and die from complications of pregnancy and childbirth.”
A myriad of schemes have been started at the state level too. Schemes like ShubhLakshmi, Rajashri, Bhamashah and HamariBeti, Apni Beti, Ashray among many other schemes which have resulted in downsizing women harassment and upscaled women education and empowerment at various avenues.
Notably, higher maternal and infant mortality rate is a result of child marriage. The natural progression of a child derails, his destined progress in education gets shunned. Moreover, child becomes subjected to undue violence. Girls, especially are subjected to indecorous and heinous physical abuse for reasons more than one – dowry, not upto the mark kitchen work. The families also channelize their inner angst by hitting and hitting the girl child.
This is torturous and shameful. More than anything else, it is inhumane. Anita Bhadel, women and child development minister gave impetus to girl education and women empowerment.
