Nizamabad: Concerted campaign to stop child marriages pays off

Nizamabad: Nizamabad has witnessed a sharp increase in the number of child marriages being prevented over the past decade, following greater awareness and better coordination among ICPS, ICDS, police, Revenue field level staff.

More than 390 child marriages were prevented in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts during the last 10 years, say the officials.

Nizamabad district was divided into three parts in October 2016. One mandal was merged with Rajanna Sircilla district. The erstwhile district was divided into Kamareddy and Nizamabad districts.

As many as 152 child marriages were thwarted from 2012 to October 16, 2016 before the bifurcation in the erstwhile Nizamabad district. Over 130 child marriages were prevented from October 2016 to June 2021 when the Kamareddy district was newly formed.In the divided Nizamabad district, 52 child marriages were stopped from October 2016 to July 25, 2021.

As against 15 child marriages in Nizamabad, 30 were prevented in Kamareddy district in 2019. As many as 65 child marriages were stopped in 2020. There are about 50 stalled marriages in Kamareddy and 15 in Nizamabad district.

In the first six months in the current year attempts to solemnise 22 such marriages have been foiled. The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) was established in 2009 to provide protection for vulnerable children.

Besides ensuring well-being of children, they are also ensuring children do not enter into wedlock. DCPO officer Jakka Sravanti even registered an FIR against the sarpanch, priest, parents and relatives present for promoting child marriage in Rajannathanda Mandal in Kamareddy district.

Priestsare now afraid of performing any child marriages these days following the action against persons concerned with an incident in Rajannathanda three months ago.

Child marriage statistics show that poverty and social backwardness are driving parents to marry off their daughters at an early age. Keeping this in view, in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts, a joint of staff drawn from various departments, along with NGOs, have been reaching out to remote corners of both districts and prevailing upon families to educate their children, rather than marry them off as minors.

Their efforts paid off and they stopped 227 child marriages belonging to backward class castes. Scores of child marriages attempted by people belonging to other castes and minorities have also been foiled.