Sixteen-year-old Shitla Bhakat of East Singhbhum’s Bansila village, who rescued herself from getting married when she was just 12 years old, is today an example of ‘Girl Empowerment’ in her village. After the tragic incident, the girl who belongs to Below Poverty line (BPl) who is now studying in Class XI joined the ‘Bal Akhra’ (tribal forum known to be the voice of children) of her village and constantly encouraging parents not to marry their daughters before they attain 18 years, the minimum eligible age for marriage.
Narrating the episode, which strengthened her leadership skills, Shitla said, “It was in February or March in 2009, when a boy in his twenties visited our home from nearby Asanboni village with some of his family members. I could not understand the scene and inquired about the matter to my mother. She said that he is my soon-to-be groom. It was a moment of shock.”
Annoyed and panicked, Shitla took this matter to her village’s Bal Akhra associated with an NGO working for child rights. The issue was then discussed in Gram Sabha wherein some community members took initiative to prevent the marriage. “I had been learning in school that a girl should not be married before 18 years. Even after this age, parents cannot marry off their daughter without her consent. like boys, girls too have the right to study as long as they want to. For a long time I tried to convince my parents over this issue but failed. They realised the fact when I approached Bal Akhra people who explained the pros and cons of child marriage to my parents,” Shitla added.
Shitla hails from a society of pottery maker’s where girls are usually not provided much education. Being a Bal Akhra member, whenever she finds parents insisting their girl to marry, without giving a second thought she reaches the family and settles the issue. On this effort she says, “Child marriage spoils the life of a girl both physically and mentally. Then why do something which is all about spoiling life.” For Shitla, serving the society gives immense satisfaction. This is the reason she is aspiring to become a nurse in future.