The state commission for protection of child rights has launched a video telling parents not to get their underage daughters and sons married. It tells boys and girls that they are entitled to grow up independently in a safe and secure environment.
The video was launched following Child Rights Week and tells children that they can reach out to teachers, administrative heads in their districts and to police to register a complaint if they are being forced into marriage.
The 4-minute-30-second video titled A digital story: child marriage has been made by the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights in association with Unicef.
The video, where the narration is by actor Sudipta Chakraborty, focuses on the need to study and learn skills that would help children to be independent. “Let them first be human beings, then husband or wife,” says the narrator.
An audiovisual medium and popular faces help reach a wider audience, said commission authorities.
“We intend to circulate this video to district child protection committees and NGOs to reach out to more and more people. The video is kind of a picture story and is child friendly,” said Sudeshna Roy, chairperson, West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights.