Stakeholders consult on 'child marriage free TN' by 2030
As per TN government data, in the last three years, 7,640 girls were rescued from child marriage in TN. And, 1,178 rescued girls received skill training.
Representative image
CHENNAI: Setting 2030 as a target to end child marriages in Tamil Nadu, the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) and Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department, along with Child Marriage Free Indiarecently brainstormed on the various challenges and legal gaps in combating child marriage in the State.
The discussion entailed on topics such as;empowering girls with the knowledge about their rights and integrating them with the many available government schemes, to spreading awareness about child marriage among oppressed people in the state.
Further into the discussion it was noted that TN is one of the few States that can boast of a low prevalence of child marriage. And the percentage of women married before the age of 18 is at 12.8 percent as against the national average of 23.3 percent, the press note stated.
As per TN government data, in the last three years, 7,640 girls were rescued from child marriage in TN. And, 1,178 rescued girls received skill training.
And, Justice PN Prakash, former judge of Madras High Court, said, "India lives in several generations at the same time. People from lower economical background will find it difficult to understand the ill effects of child marriage, but we should break the stigma."
And, R Uma Maheswari, additional secretary, Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, said, "Even though the tribal literacy rate is 50 percent, the focus of the parents is on the marriage of the girl child rather than on her education. Many child marriages are occurring among tribal people, but it remains hidden."
