Municipal-level girls’ conference held to combat child marriage

By Our Correspondent,Khalanga, Nov. 22: Chhedagad Municipality held a municipal-level girls’ conference to combat child marriage, with participation from girls across the municipality and various stakeholders. The event, supported by Save the Children and the Panchtara Youth Protection Forum, sought to unite stakeholders and civil society in a collective effort to make the municipality child marriage-free.

Recognising the rising maternal and newborn mortality rates linked to early marriages, participants signed 13 commitments to eradicate child marriage.

The stakeholders pledged to stand united against the practice, committing to preventing child marriage in their communities. Key commitments included: upholding the slogan “marriage after 20 years of age”, ensuring equal educational opportunities for all children, holding child marriage perpetrators accountable under the law and enforcing existing legal provisions related to the issue.

The commitments also highlighted promoting peer education, advocating for pregnancies at a mature age to ensure safe lives, fostering discussions about family planning and allocating local budgets to empower girls. Moreover, steps were pledged to protect and uphold the rights of at-risk children.

Pushpa Acharya, a campaigner from Chhedagad Municipality-6, emphasised that the concerned authorities must not remain silent as child marriage continues to endanger girls’ lives. 

She urged local authorities to support efforts led by girls to end child marriage, stressing the importance of treating daughters and sons equally by providing them with education, skills and development opportunities.

Similarly, Hasila Khatri, a campaigner from Ward 12, underlined the harmful societal impacts of early marriage and stressed the importance of supporting girls until they reach adulthood.

During the conference, Chhedagad Municipality honoured girls who had resisted marriage until reaching the appropriate age. Messages opposing child marriage were also conveyed through traditional Deuda songs performed at the event.

Kali Bahadur Khatri, Chief of the District Coordination Committee, called upon local governments and stakeholders to take proactive measures to prevent early marriages, warning of the dangers they pose to girls’ lives.

The mayor of Chhedagad Municipality, Ratna Bahadur Khadka, reiterated the local government’s dedication to tackling child marriage by linking the campaign with education, health and employment opportunities.