To prevent child marriages, Yuvodaya volunteers, Aganwadi workers and Mitanin Didis conducted awareness activities in the rural areas of Chhattisgarh’s Durg district on Wednesday.
These were led by Women and Child Development officer Ajay Sharma.
Through posters and dialogue, the volunteers educated the communities about the dangers of child marriages.
Child marriage is a major human rights violation that robs lakhs of children of their childhood, education and future opportunities.
It severely affects the girls’ overall well-being. Early pregnancy increases the risk of maternal mortality.
Under the Child Marriage (Prohibition and Prevention) Act 2006, the marriage of girls below the age of 18 and boys below the age of 21 is strictly prohibited.
Whoever performs and abets child marriage is liable to be punished with imprisonment of up to two years and a fine that may extend to Rs 1 lakh.
Despite legal provisions, child marriage remains a major issue in the country.
Ending it will require a multi-pronged approach and collective efforts from both government and private entities, an official communique said.
