Assam: ASCPCR’s strategy to eliminate child marriage

 Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Assam government, which has initiated an exemplary and unprecedented fight against child marriage, is further intensifying its stance against the social menace and held a state consultation on the same in Guwahati on Tuesday. The day-long consultation, organized by the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) in coordination with Child Marriage Free India and supported by its coalition partner Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), discussed the ways and strategies to make Assam child marriage free by 2030.

Speaking on the occasion were Shyamal Prasad Saikia, Chairperson, ASCPCR; Janki Khaound, Member, ASCPCR; Basabi Thakuria, ACS Joint Secretary, Panchayat & Rural Development; Jadumoni Kotoki, Joint Director, Directorate of Health Services, Family Welfare; Preeti Lekha Deka, Deputy Secretary, Women & Child Development; Pranay Bordoloi, Senior Journalist; and Rishi Kant, Executive Director, Kosi Lok Manch.

Highlighting the huge chasm between boys and girls in the state and how agencies such as ASCPCR can monitor this gap, Shyamal Prasad Saikia said, “Assam has seen gender discrimination when it comes to girl children, their rights, and education. In societies where illiteracy, poverty, and gender discrimination exist, child marriage would continue to pose a challenge. The monitoring agencies, such as ASCPCR, need to monitor the adequate implementation of the various laws and schemes by the implementing agency to combat child marriage.”

The speakers discussed many aspects of child marriage and talked about the importance of involving all stakeholders to address child marriage and child sexual exploitation.

Speaking on the occasion, Preeti Lekha Deka said, “Besides the convergence of the stakeholders, the other aspects that need our collective focus include the reintegration of the girl victims back in the community and empowering them with skills that are relevant and monetizable in modern times. Besides, there needs to be awareness among adolescents about the risk and consequences of elopement.”

Lauding the recent measures taken by the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government to combat child marriage, Dhananjay Tingal, Executive Director, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, said, “The Assam government’s commitment to end child marriage in the state is exemplary and a role model for the entire nation. The state’s budget of Rs 200 crore to make Assam child marriage free by 2026 and also for rehabilitation of victims is a commendable stride in the right direction, and now this state consultation plays yet another pivotal role in ensuring the effective utilisation of allocated funds towards eradicating child marriage. Moreover, the state government’s crackdown and legal action against the perpetrators of child marriage further fuel the fight and ensure success.”

Bachpan Bachao Andolan, also known as the Association for Voluntary Action (AVA), is a coalition partner of Child Marriage Free India.

Notably, on October 16 last year, various state government departments, including the Panchayat and Rural Development Department, the Department of School Education, the Assam State Legal Services Authority, and the Directorate of Women and Child Protection, issued circulars directing their respective departments and officials to take part in Child Marriage Free Assam.

The last National Family Health Survey V (NHFS 2019–21) revealed that 31.8 percent of girls in the age group 20–24 were married before the age of 18 in Assam, while the national average stood at 23.3 percent in the same period. However, given the initiatives and steps taken up by the Assam government since early 2023, the state has seen a sea change in the prevalence of child marriage, and the scenario is set to change with the incidence of child marriage decreasing drastically.

Also Read: Assam: Sonitpur District Organizes Awareness Program on Child Marriage and Substance Abuse

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