The Spandana Cultural Organisation for Progressive Education (SCOPE) – NGO urges political parties to include this in election manifesto.  Free and compulsory education for all children under the age of 18 years can play a pivotal role in ending child marriage as there is an inverse relationship between education and child marriage.
This key finding, which could become a game-changer in the country’s fight against child marriage, is part of a research paper titled ‘Exploring Linkages and Role of Education in Elevating Age at Marriage For Girls in India’ released on International Women’s Day by Child Marriage Free India campaign which is a coalition of 160 NGOs. India, which is well on its way to reach tipping point to end child marriage and end this crime by 2030, can gain further momentum and direction if free and compulsory education becomes a reality, the report has found.
“While both the Centre as well as state governments have been exhibiting a tough stance to end child marriage, this one modification to the existing Right To Education to include all children up to the age of 18 could accelerate the pace to end child marriage,” Purujit Praharaj, lead Researcher for the report, said.
160 NGOs campaign against child marriages
Child Marriage Free India campaign is a coalition of 160 NGOs across the country working in tandem with the governments in over 300 districts witnessing a high prevalence of child marriage and aims to end this social crime by 2030 from the country. In the last six months alone, 50,000 child marriages have been stopped nationwide through counselling while legal action was initiated in around 10,000 child marriages.
Notably, elimination of early, child and forced marriages by 2030 is also a global commitment by countries made under the aegis of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Releasing the paper in Sangareddy, Spandana Cultural Organisation for Progressive Education(SCOPE) a coalition partner of Child Marriage Free India campaign, demanded that while the Centre and state government’s will and action to end this social crime is commendable and yielding results, firmer steps need to be taken to amplify this fight against child marriage.
81 child marriages stopped
Drawing from insights revealed in the paper, the NGO asserted that the education of all children up to the age of 18 years
be made free and compulsory and also urged all political parties to incorporate this important issue in their election manifestos for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“Led by women activists and village leaders, we have been able to stop 81 child marriages stopped in Sangareddy District. However, there is an urgent need to make education a top priority across the country and we would also ask the government for total ban on child marriage in the state,” Dr. Bandi Sayanna, President, Spandana Cultural Organisation for Progressive Education (SCOPE) said.