Jharkhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (JSCPCR), Chairperson, Aarti Kujur termed less representation of stakeholders at panchayat level as the biggest impediment in curbing child marriages in Jharkhand. Academicians, civil society members and other representatives brainstormed on various ways to curb child marriages in Jharkhand at the State level consultation workshop on developing standard operating procedure on early child marriage in Jharkhand here on Wednesday.
Shedding light on the challenges and opportunity including need of departmental convergence, Kujur said, “linking panchayats with child marriage awareness programme has become mandatory to curb this social evil. Since the representation of people at panchayat level is less, at times it becomes difficult to crack down cases especially in the interior belts. So far, in my tenure, the child rights commission has resolved only nine child marriages cases.”
From social taboos to economic burden, experts from various sects of the society discussed about reporting and complaint mechanism, prevention and protection, handling court cases pendency, disposal and acquittal, educating panchayat members in setting up helpline services for children in need of care protection with the involvement of children predominately who wants to lend their support in curtailing this social menace.
Rajshri, Professor of Rural Development at XISS emphasized on behavioural change besides creating awareness on the issue. She termed economic constrains as one major factor for rise in child marriage cases in the State like Jharkhand where the tribal population is dominant.
Similarly, a representative of Child Fund, Varsha Sharma, said, “It is mandatory to make panchayat representatives aware about their duties with priority. Cases go unreported as people at the grass root level are not familiar with their rights. Strategy for child protection and time-bound action plan is mandatory for getting the desired results. Even now, children are not included in the decision making procedure which too need to be ensured.”
Child Fund an NGO based in New Delhi is working in two districts of the State in a project titled ‘Minds without fear’ to curb child marriages. The NGO has involved 2000 girls from 50 villages of Deogarh and Palamu districts.