Real Pioneers: Ray of hope

Md Tanveer

As the nation celebrated Akshaya Tritiya last month, a festival associated with mass child weddings, many activists renewed their calls against child marriage.

“Raise your voice against child marriage on #AkshayTritiya, an auspicious day for Hindu marriage in India,” UNICEF India said on Twitter.

According to UNICEF, 47% of girls are married by 18 years of age, and 18% are married by 15 years of age. These marriages are often performed without the consent of the girls involved in the marriage. Indian law has made child marriage illegal, but it is still widely practiced across the nation. 

Despite of campaigns like “Apni Beti, Apna Dhan which was a pineer against the practices of child marriage in early 90’s in the state of Haryana. Apni Beti, Apna Dhan one of India's first conditional cash transfer programs dedicated to delaying young marriages across the nation.
On the birth of a mother's first, second, or third child, they are set to receive 500 rupees, within the first 15 days to cover their post-delivery needs. Along with this, the government gives 2,500 rupees, to invest in a long-term savings bond in the daughter's name, which can be later cashed for 25,000 rupees, or 550 USD, after her 18 birthday. She can only receive the money if she is not married. Anju Malhotra, an expert on child marriage and adolescent girls said that this program, "No other conditional cash transfer has this focus of delaying marriage. It's an incentive to encourage parents to value their daughters." 

There are many campaigns around the world against child marriage in India, where the practice remains common despite being illegal. Amid this odd milieu Ameena Khatoon who has done masters degree in arts is striving hard against the immorality practice of child marriages in the twin city Hyderabad. Ameena has been associated with Nanhi Kali project for last four years.

Project Nanhi Kali was initiated in 1996 by the K C Mahindra Education Trust with the aim of providing primary education to underprivileged girl children across the nation. Jahanuma a locality of Hyderabad is popular for Zardozi an art of designing on cloths manually. Most of children of the locality help their parent in this work after the school which has in turn tampered their education. Ameena who is also from this area took initiative to fix up the education of these children by campaigning door to door by making aware about the importance of education to her neighbors.

Because of this drive made many parent restricted their children from the labour and fulfill their studies without any hurdle. And Ameena also made a safe environment for girls who usually were avoiding school due to the fear of eve teasing. Ameena is an ideal mentor to many parent and students in her locality to whom she advocates the benefit of education and makes it possible for implementation by supporting the economical weak students with financial aid through Project Nanhi Kali.

But practically it is coordinators like Ameena have made this project a success. Project Nanhi Kali has so far supported more 75,000 underprivileged girl children from poor urban, remote rural, tribal and conflict afflicted communities across 9 states to fulfill their education.