Hyderabad: A demand was made to provide girl children financial support for higher studies, and for the government to permit free medical check-ups for girls. The demand was made by Mr R. Venkat Reddy of the M.V. Foundation at a roundtable conference on child marriages. Free education should include transport, school uniform, books and other facilities. Mr Reddy said that there was a lack of coordination between various departments like police, women and child welfare, education and revenue while tackling child marriages. “A single organisation should be established to deal with child marriages,” he said.
Mr Reddy said they had noticed extreme violence in child marriages. “The law only deals with avoiding child marriage. All child marriages should be derecognised,” he said. He said that before girl children should be educated and empowered before they attain the age of 18.
He claimed that some parents were forcing girl children to get married before attaining the age of 18 by producing fake documents.
Ms Shyamala Devi, child welfare committee chairperson of Hyderabad district, told the conference that one out of every three women faces violence in one form or the other. The ‘One Billion’ campaign was launched to create awareness regarding this. She said 30 organisations were participating in the programme in Hyderabad, and a major event would be held on January 27.
