A country’s capital is a reflection of the progress of that country. The capital is considered to be the latest in every field. Despite this, even the capital Delhi has not been able to save itself from the social evils like ‘child marriage’. According to the 2011 census of the Government of India, 84,277 people have had child marriages in Delhi. This is about one percent of child marriages in the entire country. Delhi ranks 19th out of 29 states in the country in terms of child marriages taking place in the country. This shows how serious the problem of ‘child marriage’ is that even the capital of the country is not untouched by it.
Voluntary organizations involved in the campaign ‘Child Marriage Free India’ organized by Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF), founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi, expressed concern over the situation in Delhi and appealed to the government to stop ‘child marriage’. The law should strictly be followed to create fear in the mind of the criminals and the social evil of ‘child marriage’ can be eradicated. KSCF in association with Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Department of Women and Child Development and Government of Delhi organized a conference at Vishwa Yuva Kendra, Chanakyapuri.
According to the latest figures from the National Family Health Survey-5, 23.3 percent of women in the age group of 20 to 24 years in the country are such who have had child marriage. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), two cases of child marriage were registered in Delhi in the year 2019, four in the year 2020 and only two in the year 2021. It is clear from this that people are sitting blindly towards ‘child marriage’ and the cases of child marriage are not being reported to the police. Along with showing concern over the issue, an appeal was made to the public, government, and security agencies to be serious in the cases of child marriage and take the strictest steps. It was agreed that child marriage can be stopped only by strict legal action put in place.
In this conference, member of Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights Ranjana Prasad, MLA from Burari Sanjay Jha, former DGP of Uttar Pradesh Sutapa Sanyal, child leader Nisha of Bal Mitra Mandal, Vice Chancellor of Delhi Teachers University Prof. Dhananjay Joshi, Naina Sahasrabuddhe of Bhartiya Stree Shakti, Manoj Verma, Senior Anchor of Sansad TV and Rakesh Sengar, Executive Director, Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation were present among many dignitaries present.