Birth of a daughter is still seen as a bad omen by many parents in the impoverished country. A girl child is more likely to be married off early, receive less education (or none), and be denied health care. In urban areas, child marriages may be rare, but in poor villages it is very common.

But now children themselves are leading the charge against child marriages. According to Republica, students called in the police to stop the marriage of four of their schoolmates, all of whom are minors.

It took quite an effort though to make the parents agree to stop the marriages. Dipak B.K, program coordinator of a local social group, said the parents refused to cooperate at first.

“After the refusal, local children took to the streets, rallied. and sloganeered. The parents then agreed to stop the marriages,” B.K. said. Among the slogans chanted by the children are “marriage only after twenty” and “child marriage will land you in jail.”

The students have done an admirable deed, but the battle against the evil of child marriages is far from over. The same report suggests that some parents may shift the marriage venue to neighboring India.

Bhumika Ghimire