GIRLS’ EDUCATION IS A WAY TO END OF SOCIAL EVIL “OF CHILD MARRIAGE”
Even in the world of modernization and development, in the recent era, still there are some part of India that practices a different kind of socially evil events like child marriages and also not even allow their girls to study. There are many such cases are coming up within us nowadays. We should raise our voices against this type of ill practice and should try to spread more awareness about the right to girls’ and women‘s education and say no to child marriage.
Recently an Assam child marriage case has come up in the society, as per the information over 3000 people were got arrested who were allegedly involved in the crime, therefore the state has created a divide in the civil society, with a section asserting that mere law enforcement cannot be the only solution while some arguing that at least the law is being discussed and may prove to be a deterrent.
Debasmita Ghosh the human rights lawyer has stated that once the marriage is considered consummated, the law considers it to be valid and children born out of such unions enjoy all legal rights.
She also stated that “If the petition is being filed by the particular person who was married as a child, it must be done so within two years of the person attaining adulthood. Further, she also stated in her statement that “In most of the arrests made, the couples may be adults now and if they have not filed petitions for annulling their marriages, the state has no business to interfere in their personal lives”.
Government should take strict action against these evil actions in society and should raise voices and spread awareness and more information regarding women’s education and their empowerment so that they can come up and could participate more in the fields and should become independent. The law regarding “child marriage should be prohibited”, was enacted in the year 2006, but still, there hasn’t been seen an improvement in the situation also the question was raised by Debasmitha Ghosh why were all the strict actions and responsibilities not done so by agencies responsible for it?
Manorama sarma an academician had told that child marriages must end but this is a social evil, not a law and order problem. Following up on her statement the retired professor said that “Taking care of women’s education, health facilities and access to livelihood is the way to end it and not by implementing a law retrospectively. It should be strictly implemented prospectively,” further Anurita pathak Hazarika a women right activist stated that a sociological analysis of child marriages must be looked into from the “gender lens and how inequality has an impact on these practices”.
In addition, she also stated that Awareness of such issues, including sexual reproductive health rights, must be institutionalized by including it in the school curriculum.
Staff Writer
