The Hindu : Why child marriage

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 06, 2002

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Why child marriage

Sir, — Your editorial `Do not marry her off' (April 30). Child marriage among tribals and other backward classes is not new in India at all. By merely making some rules against it and using the police force cannot remove the reasons behind this menace. The authorities should try to find out the causes behind it. Among several of them, poverty and lack of education are most important. You have rightly pointed out that the girl child is considered a liability and fixing their marriages early gives the parents a sense of relief. There are several programmes including the reservation system for the tribal people. But their boys and girls cannot reach that level to avail themselves of those facilities.

Even completing the primary education becomes difficult for them, as no really needed help is available at that level. Most of them are compelled to work for their families to earn bread. Thus the slogan "Education for all" remains a mockery to them. The Government should change its policy to help the youngsters of this society to carry out their studies from the very beginning. Only proper education and awareness among the people concerned can solve this problem.

Siddhartha Misra,
Bareilly, (U.P.)

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