More than 500 tribal women took time out from sowing paddy in fields at a block in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district to take a pledge to create a child marriage-free society on World Tribal Day (on Wednesday).

The initiative was taken by Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation and local NGO Sahyogini at different villages of Peterwar block of Bokaro district, around 150km from Jharkhand capital Ranchi. The move assumes significance with Jharkhand (as per 2011 census) accounting for three per cent (358,064) of the country’s child marriage cases.

As per NFHS (National Family Health Survey) 2019-2021 data, 23.3 per cent women in the age group of 20-24 years were married before 18 years. Nearly 45 lakh girls below the age of 15 years who were married had children (as per 2011 census) and 1050 cases of child marriage were reported across the country in 2021 (Crime in India Report 2021).

Field mobiliser of Sahyogini, Manju Devi, made the women at Mayapur village take the pledge. Pamphlets were distributed among women containing the toll-free number of child line (1098) and informed of legal action which one can face if they take part in child marriage.

“We made the women aware of the demerits of child marriage and also informed them about the legal action which they and their families might face if they allow child marriages to happen in their families. The women voluntarily opted to take a pledge at their paddy field itself to make a child marriage-free society and prevent child marriages in their family, relatives and also in their villages,” said Manju Devi.

The women were also informed that the gender gap prevailing in society can be eliminated by awareness.

“We also informed them that child marriage can affect the health of adolescent girls and it is the social responsibility and duty of all of us to stop child marriage,” said Manju Devi.