FIVE GIRLS RESISTED CHILD MARRIAGE

FIVE GIRLS RESISTED CHILD MARRIAGE

(Impressed by their stories of courage, President invites them to Rashtrapati Bhavan)

Five girls from West Bengal’s Purulia District, who resisted child marriage met President Pratibha Devisingh Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan  on  7^th December,2011.. The girls – Afsana Khatun and Sunita Mahato had met Patil in May 2009, but had expressed their desire to meet her again, while Mukti Majhi (age 15 years), Sangita Bauri (age 15 years) and Bina Kalindi (age 14 years) were meeting President Patil for the first time. Welcoming the girls, Patil said their brave resistance against child marriage will not only benefit them, but will also be of immense help to other girls who wish to study and not get married early. She said the nation requires such acts of courage against social pressure, so that it can progress on the social front also.

She further said the government has a number of schemes for the girl child, to encourage her to go to school. However, parents have to be sensitized, so that they send their girl child to school. Urging the girls to take-up the work of sensitizing their friends and parents about the ill effects of child marriage, Patil said child marriage leads to girls being trapped in the vicious cycle of poor health caused by early motherhood and child mortality, leading to further economic burden on the family. Mukti Majhi a tribal girl who lost her mother at a very young age used to work as a child labourer. Her father is illiterate and is a labourer earning wages on a daily basis. When Mukti was 13 years old, she was taken away by a boy against her will after a community dance ceremony, but she resisted this age old custom and forced community leaders to accept her will. She is now studying in class 7. Sangita Bauri was a child labourer who used to work as a domestic help. Her father is a rickshaw puller and her mother is a domestic help. When Sangita was 12 years old, her parents put pressure on her to stop going to school, so that she could be married off. She however resisted pressure and continues to go to school. Bina Kalindi’s father is a labourer earning wages on a daily basis, who was an alcoholic. However due to relentless persuasion by Bina, he has given up this habit. Bina’s mother is ill. The family was putting huge pressure on her to get married early according to the community’s tradition. However, she also resisted all pressure.

   Economic progress is not the only indicator of a country's development, a nation requires its people to show courage against social pressures and overcome social evils, said President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Wednesday after meeting five teenagers from West Bengal who fought social and family pressure and resisted child marriage.The girls, with little education and almost no support, turned down marriage proposals and faced the anger of their families and the community. The five girl students earned praise from the President, who described them as “icons” and asked them to share their stories and encourage girls to say no to under-age marriages. For Afsana and Sunita, it was their second meeting with the President who encouraged them to campaign against child marriage among their peers.

Ms. Patil asked them to propagate the idea of eradicating social evils. She said the government had a number of schemes for the girl child, to encourage their education and though there are schools in distant villages, the onus now lies on the parents to send their girls to school.While education opens up new avenues for the girl child, an early marriage brings with it a cycle of misery, poor health and poverty, she said. A young mother with children often becomes victim of poor health and mortality. She urged the district authorities to create more awareness of what the girls have done by taking them on a tour of their district during their school holidays to inspire others. Ms. Patil urged the girls to encourage others through stories and to stand up against social evils. The President also presented the girls with a cash purse. While Sangita Bauri, Bina Kalindi and Mukti Majhi were presented Rs.10,000 each, Afsana and Sunita were given Rs. 5,000 each.

“It is a very big honour to be here and meet the President. The last time we were here in 2008, before leaving home we were taunted by the community members. But when we returned with Madam's [President] blessings, everyone was impressed,” said Afsana, a Class VI student who hit the headlines in 2008 for calling off her wedding.

                                                           Prof. John Kurakar