WARANGAL/ BHUPALPALLY/JANGAON/MAHABUBABAD: Preventing child marriages is still a challenge for Child Protection officials, as they face a lot of resistance from the local communities in Jangaon, Warangal, Mahabubabad, and Bhupalpally districts.
According to the data obtained by TNIE, the officials foiled 74 child marriages between January 2024 and August 2024.
Child Protection officials prevented 10 child marriages in Janagoan, 13 in Jayashankar Bhupalpally, 5 in Warangal and 46 in Mahabubabad.
According to the authorities in the four districts, parents are forcing their children into marriage due to ignorance, social commitments, and illiteracy.
The Warangal, Jangaon, and Mulugu districts Child Protection officials found that lack of livelihood pushed migrant parents into this practice.
Speaking to TNIE, Jangaon Child Protection Officer L Ravikanth said that families with poor socioeconomic background perform the marriages of their minor children. Also, fears of the elopement of girls force the parents to marry them off early.
Mahabubabad Child Welfare Committee chairperson Dr S Naga Vani said that when she tried to foil any child marriage, there was resistance from the parents living in the hamlets in agency area.
“We counsel the parents of both the bride and the bridegroom about the ill-effects of child marriage. The tribals do not consider marriage of children is violation of child’s rights. To prevent this social evil, it is necessary to register cases against parents of bride and bridegroom,” said Naga Vani.
Mandala Parashuramulu, a social worker, appealed to the government to make it mandatory to register marriages. “Child marriage undermines the rights and spoils the futrue of countless young girls and boys across the state. Though there are laws, enforcement remains a hurdle,” he says.
One effective way to address this issue is by involving the community at the grassroots level, particularly the religious institutions that solemnize these marriages.
The state government has to mandate all priests and religious leaders to maintain a special register to enroll all marriages they conduct. This registration should include essential details such as the names and ages of the bride and groom, and to collect their date of birth certificate from school or birth certificate.