Child marriage: 17-yr-old takes matter to court

  • | Sunday | 23rd April, 2017

We are hopeful that she will soon be free of the bondage of child marriage. I don't want the bonds of child marriage. "To annul her child marriage, we have filed a petition. I have now filed the case for marriage annulment in Jodhpur's family court. Annulment by court would make the marriage null and void," Bharti said.

Jaipur: A brave young 17-year-old girl approached Jodhpur's family court to annul her child marriage on Saturday.Under pressure from both her family and that of in-laws, the minor, who was given away in marriage when she was 15, stood her ground and decided to take matters into her own hands after she became more aware of the social evil.However, her family is still under pressure from community leaders.A resident of Balesar block in Jodhpur, the girl, who refused to go to her in-laws, told the court that her family married her off to a person living in the same block after her grandmother died, following a local custom.There is a tradition in rural Rajasthan to get a boy or girl married if a family member dies.In November 2015, her grandmother had died and she was married off a few days later as per the ritual and tradition.She decided to challenge her fate when she came under increasing pressure from family members, community leaders and in-laws, who even threatened to abduct her."I wanted to study and stand on my own feet. I don't want the bonds of child marriage. I have now filed the case for marriage annulment in Jodhpur's family court. I hope to get justice soon," she said.She received support from Saarthi, a managing trustee of an NGO, and Kriti Bharti, a rehabilitation psychologist, to knock on the doors of the family court."To annul her child marriage, we have filed a petition. We have also counselled her family and her in-laws. We are hopeful that she will soon be free of the bondage of child marriage. Annulment by court would make the marriage null and void," Bharti said."The pressure from the family was so much and her father had threatened to hang himself if she does not go to the house of her in-laws," Bharti said.

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