1. Public Statement : If you support a cause to fight against early marriage, and have taken a pledge to end all violence against women, then preaching might not have the greatest effect on the masses. But practice will. If you know of someone in or around your family/neighbourhood who is planning to marry their children who are a) under the legal adult age b) not consenting of the marriage/being forced to do so – the most viable course of action is to not attend. Make sure that your reasons for doing so are not only conveyed to the groom and bride’s families but also to everyone else who is attending.

2. Legal Rights: It is gross violation of a basic right to education and freedom. The law does not permit early marriage and it also penalizes practices such as Dowry and Child Marriage. Every child deserves the right to grow up as a healthy, independent individual far removed from any coercion or duress. Every child deserves a primary education, high-schooling, graduation and employment opportunities. More than anything else every child deserves the chance to attain adulthood at a normal and natural pace without being forced to submit to child-bearing, sex and marital relationship.

3. Awareness : If you do not take it upon yourself to take a firm stand, protest and register your dissent, quote the laws that do not sanction early marriage and spread the word- then the areas that are actually severely affected by the early marriage endemic will not be exposed to this movement. Organizing protests, functions and media-talks in cities where early-marriage is rare, would be very futile. Hence, the only act on your part that would truly make a difference would be to condemn early marriage not only as a phenomenon but also as a singular event.

4. Education/Health : What does it mean when we tell you to ‘SAY NO TO EARLY MARRIAGE’? Why are we asking the public to do that? Because saying no, will imply that another girl has a better chance to secure a better future; another girl or even a boy for that matter, has the opportunity to enjoy good health and be offered information and knowledge. Saying no, automatically pushes the boundaries of freedom and affords every child the hope of a secure future.

5. Violence against Women : As explained in detail on this site, early marriage has an established and undisputable connection with domestic violence. This is tantamount to violence against women in general. As a result, when early marriage is precluded, the rate of VAW also reduces by default. The greatest threat to a woman’s safety, is the social ignorance possessed by her own family. When a family refuses to marry their daughter at a young age, they also perform their duty as guardians to protect her violence that would ostensibly follow from an early marriage : Physical abuse, marital rape, emotional oppression, infringement of rights among many others.

6. If the top 5 reasons of not attending an ‘early-marriage’ ceremony are not reasonable enough to convince you of this cause, then that would probably explain why fighting early marriage is proving to be such a hard battle.

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About the Author: Abha Thapiyal is a law student and blogger interested in women’s rights and issues of violence against women. She volunteers her time to help Breakthrough with content for the blog. You can read more of her work at http://aionofiris.wordpress.com/