Strengthening Legal and Institutional Mechanism to End

Child Marriage in Bihar

Group 1
They raised the question that “What is the vulnerability for girls”?

i. Gaps i.e. societal gaps.

ii. Protection and security of girls.
iii. Discrimination on the basis of sex.
iv. Development of life skill.
v. Female Infanticide.
vi. Challenges that girls have to face in a Patriarchal society.
vii. False documents as Birth Certificate at the time of their marriage i.e. child marriage.
viii. Vulnerable sociocultural beliefs.
ix. Dowry: A curse for modern society.
x. Education is good at primary level but not at higher level.
xi. Hygiene during pubic age.
xii.

Good practice of the state.

i. Campaigning and Awareness programme.
ii. Applications Initiative.
iii. Media Coverage.
iv. Free Education.
v. Special schemes for Women and Children.
vi. Induction of Mahila Thana and child line numbers.

Group 2
“We are living in a market not in a society”
They discussed on the matters like :
i. Self sensitivity.
ii. Ward level action by concerned Mukhiya and Panchayat Samiti.
iii. Role of ASHA didi in awareness programme .
iv. Child protection Committee should be organised at ward level.
v. Role of religious leaders in spreading awareness.
vi. BDO and SDO are not assuming themselves as human.
Group 3 (Jagriti)
They raised the following issues :
i. The age of girls should also be fixed at 21 years for marriage.
ii. There should be laws to empower officials like CDPO,
Aanganwadi Supervisor at district and ward level to take in hand some cases of child
Marriage .
iii. There should be easy connection between common man and officials.
iv. It should be the duty of state to take the girls to Higher Education.

Group 4
They emphasised on the following points :
i. Bright future of children
ii. Child Protection committee should be started at ward level.
iii. SDM and SDPO should handle the cases seriously.
iv. Monthly review meeting should be held.
v. Record keeping , data capturing , data analysis should be done and Laws should be
made according to the statistics.
vi. Sensitisation and convergence meetings should be held.

Group 5
They made their points on the following issues:
i. There are 2876 Panchayats in Bihar that do not have Higher Secondary
Education.
ii. Right to Education should be extended to the age of 18 years.
iii. Adolescents’ girls should get sanitary napkins free of cost.
iv. Workshops and awareness programme should be held for the training
of the officials.
v. There should be increase in participation of girls in social activities.
vi. There should be increase in no. Of institutions of vocational training at
village and block level.
vii. The eleven priorities of Youth Development Index should be taken into
consideration.