Guwahati, 21st February: Shyamal Prasad Saikia, chairperson of the Assam State Committee for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR), addressed the issue of gender discrimination and its ramifications on the rights and education of the girl child in Assam. He highlighted challenges such as child marriage during a state-level consultation organized by ASCPCR to devise strategies for its eradication.
Saikia underscored the pivotal role of monitoring agencies like ASCPCR in ensuring the effective implementation of laws and schemes aimed at tackling child marriages. He commended the proactive stance of the Assam government in combating this social issue.
ASCPCR, in collaboration with Child Marriage Free India and supported by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), organized the consultation with the objective of making Assam free from child marriage by 2030.
Dhananjay Tingal, executive director of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, lauded the commitment of the Assam government and hailed it as a national role model. He praised the allocation of a Rs 200 crore budget for eliminating child marriage and providing rehabilitation support to victims.
Tingal stressed the importance of effectively utilizing allocated funds towards eradicating child marriages and commended the state government’s stringent actions against perpetrators.
Rishi Kant, executive director of Kosi Lok Manch, commended the Assam government’s dedication to reaching remote areas to protect children’s rights. He highlighted initiatives such as providing admission incentives to girl students, aimed at ensuring education for all and consequently curbing child marriage.
The latest National Family Health Survey V (NFHS 2019-21) indicated a decline in child marriage prevalence in Assam since early 2023.
Preeti Lekha Deka, deputy secretary of the state women and child development department, emphasized the importance of collective efforts in areas such as reintegrating girl victims into the community and empowering them with relevant skills.
In its efforts to curb child marriage, the Assam government launched a two-phase drive against it last year, resulting in numerous arrests and case registrations. In the first phase in February, 3,483 people were arrested, and 4,515 cases were registered, followed by 915 arrests and 710 cases in the second phase in October.