Kurigram Correspondent :
A number of adolescent members of Ashar Alo group of Khamar Tabokpur of Ulipur Upazila under Kurigram District are fighting to save herself from child marriage and to get higher education. At present all the adolescent are studying from class 6 to 11. But many of their girlfriends from school life are no longer studying today.Because many of them could not protect themselves from the evil practice called child marriage.
Child marriage has taken away the adolescent education and childhood. Many adolescent are leaving their husbands’ houses and spending their days in their father’s house with careless negligence. Mehbuba Rahman is a president of the Khamar Tabakpur Asar Alo Adolescent Group said that, ever since we learned to understand, we have been witnessing this irregularity and evil practice in the society.
At that time about 60-65 percent of the girls got married while studying in 6th to 9th class. We did not know what to do against all this. So we would accept everything in silence.Just in time for the launch of the 2017 Combating Gender Based Violence (CGBV) Project of Mahideb Jubo Somaj Kallayan Somity (MJSKS), we became members of the Adolescent group. In the monthly group sessions, we can learn about the evils of child marriage and child marriage law-2017, Gender, Domestic Violence law-2010, rights, human rights and equality in dignity. In consultation with the members of the group, we pledge that we will not allow child marriage and will not allow any girl in the village to accept child marriage. As such, our path begins. Now when hear about child marriage somewhere in the village, we jump first. Where we fail, there we have cooperation from the project staff, group members, civil society, 109, 999, local administration, women’s affairs office and upazila administration.
We have prevented / stopped the child marriage of Ratu, Sumitra, Sushmita, Souravi, Biplobi and Sultana through discussion and counseling with different families and parents in our community. The people of the village have insecurity and lack of education awareness. Many peoples applauded and supported our approach. Parents can no longer give child marriage in publicly.
However, if a parent is persuaded by someone or mistakenly takes the initiative to have a child marriage, it we should be stopped immediately. Parents in the area are now playing a much more aware and conscientious role.
