CHILD MARRIAGE - A WEDDING SOLEMNIZED WITH THE UMBILICAL CORD

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CHILD MARRIAGE  -  A wedding solemnized with the umbilical cord

                                                        An image of child marriage in India

A wedding fixed when a child makes its first cry.   Children's fate is decided by his/her parents or relatives at the tender age of innocence.

This practice is still prevalent in some parts of India.  India adds up with three other countries to makes the half of child marriages in the world.  The countries with highest number of Child Marriage cases are Ethiopia, Nigeria, Brazil, Bangladesh and India.

Child marriage is human rights violation.

The major cause of Child Marriage is illiteracy and ignorance.  This practice is threatening the fabric of decision making adulthood.  

The bride and bridegroom has to be matured and select the partner as per their wish with their parents support.

The elders in the family should not exercise their will and impose it on the prospective bride and bridegroom.

Some families clinch a deal at the time of child birth and chose the partners in marriage according to the families pride from a chosen relation of friends or acquaintances.  They decide in which family their daughter has to live. This is binding and the marriage is solemnized in their childhood.  The couple still smelling their mother's breast milk.  This kind of marriage has to be stopped by judiciary and enforce a law to prevent the innocent children to grow up as husband and wife.  At that time the girl must have not even reached her puberty.

 

Marriage before the age of 18 is a fundamental violation of human rights. Many factors interact to place a child at risk of marriage, including poverty, the perception that marriage will provide ‘protection’, family honor, social norms, customary or religious laws that condone the practice, an inadequate legislative framework and the state of a country’s civil registration system.

Child marriage often compromises a girl’s development by resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation, interrupting her schooling, limiting her opportunities for career and vocational advancement and placing her at increased risk of domestic violence. . Although the impact on child grooms has not been extensively studied, marriage may similarly place boys in an adult role for which they are unprepared, and may place economic pressures on them and curtail their opportunities for further education or career advancement.

 

                                                                Depicts domestic violence

 

Child marriage is a truly global problem that cuts across countries, cultures, religions and ethnicity.

 

The Child Marriage stops the educational, social and economic growth of girls.  It also has serious health hazards like HIV,  anemia and gynecological problems.  Pregnancy is a leading cause of death and disability among young women aged 15 to 19. 

 

Child marriage has been an issue in India for a long time because of its root in traditional, cultural and religious protection it has been hard battle to fight.

It has been found mass child  marriages taking place in India on occasions like Akshaya Tritiya.

 

Child marriages results in high infant mortality rate, low weight babies and premature child birth etc.

 

While the practice is more common among girls than boys, it is a violation of rights regardless of their gender.

 

The couple must have their own choice in taking such a crucial decision of life to tie the nuptial knot.

The people engaging in such trade has to be booked by the court of law. Such people merits legal punishment.

Though there are social activists who try to stop this kind of practice but fails to make an impact with the result.

One should enlighten the masses to refrain from child marriage. 

 

The educated parents while selecting the bride or bridegroom must seek the opinion of their son or daughter about their would be marriage partner.  This has to grow deeper into the society to the under privileged and ignorant masses.

 

 

The noted Indian scholar and philosopher Swamy Vivekananda established "Brahmo Samaj" (Society of Brahma) to eliminate Child Marriage and illiteracy from India. 

 

 

The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2005 came into force in 1st March 2005 in India.  The Act forbids Child Marriages in India. It also protects and provides assistance to the victims of Child Marriage.

 

 

The POSCO Act 2012 is comprehensive law to provide for the protection of children from the offence of  sexual assault, harassment and pornography.

 

 

Children deserve caring, comforting and decent grooming to adulthood.

 

 

 

I strongly suggest that  one should  refrain from Child marriage and  oppose with tooth  and nail the exploitation of children.