Child Marriages: AP Govt plans awareness drive across State

Vijayawada: The state government will take up state-wide awareness campaigns against child marriage, chief secretary K S Jawahar Reddy said on Wednesday. The chief secretary said this after meeting with UNICEF representatives and discussing how to eliminate child marriage. “If child marriage is not eliminated, it is impossible to restrict maternal mortality rate (MMR). That is the reason why the government is according utmost importance to eradicating child marriage,” Reddy said in a press release. To completely eradicate child marriage, he said, state-wide awareness campaigns will be undertaken, including identifying girls who dropped out of school and readmitting them. Reddy said Andhra Pradesh has taken up several initiatives to promote girl child education.

In addition to encouraging girl child education, he said government junior colleges are being set up in every mandal to encourage girls to study further, thus eradicating child marriage. Further, he said that a toll-free number is needed for the public or the children themselves to tip off authorities on underage weddings.