Religious leaders play key role in averting child marriages

Vijayawada: Girls Advocacy Alliance (GAA), a programme with involvement of religious and caste leaders especially from SC and ST community was held at Forum for Child Rights office here on Thursday.

The meeting was organised by Mahita Plan International which was attended by various religious leaders who took oath to solemnise marriages at legal age of 18 years for girl and 21 years for boy.

Mahita coordinator Gode Prasad said that child marriage was not a good sign for the development of the country. He said that most of the marriages were taking place without the consent of the girls, he said and added that child marriages had reduced with right to education implemented up to Class 10 District Child Protection Officer Ch Vijay Kumar said that religious leaders play an important role in the control of child marriages and said registration of marriages should be made compulsory.

He said that there was a huge influence of the religious leaders on the public and they were capable of bringing change in the mindset of common man and let the girl child educate in safe society.

Mahita education manager Nagamma appealed to the religious leaders to set up notice boards in their religious places discouraging child marriages and explaining the adverse effects.

Anil Kumar from DBRC (Dalith Bhajujan Resource Center) Baby Ran, Adam, Ramadevi, Jyothi, Prakash, M Rama Kishora Shrama and others were present.