UN data: a girl is married off as a child every 3 seconds, says International Day of the Girl Child message

In many parts of the world, young girls are made to shoulder household responsibilities instead of being sent to school. Their consent is not sought. Child marriage is not merely a social bond entered into at an early age. It is the biggest wall that takes away a child's childhood, education, health and the right to make decisions. The International Day of the Girl Child, observed every year on October 11, draws attention to this reality.

This year's theme is "End child marriage and invest in girls' rights". The figures from the United Nations are alarming. Every year, more than 12 million girls worldwide are married before the age of 18. That means a girl's childhood is forced into the adult world every 3 seconds. Despite strict laws, the practice remains a major blot on society.

According to the report, child marriage cannot be seen as linked only to poverty or old traditions. Early marriage takes away girls' futures, makes them financially dependent on others and often pushes them into dangers such as early motherhood or domestic violence. Stopping the wedding rituals alone is not enough to save them from this trap. The real difficulty begins when a marriage has been stopped and the girl's life has to be given a new direction. Could she go to school? Did she get a chance to stand on her own feet?

India too is at the forefront of the global fight against child marriage. Well-known lawyer Bhuwan Ribhu, founder of Just Rights for Children, who has long raised his voice for children's rights, had demanded at the United Nations that a dedicated international day be fixed for ending child marriage. As a result of his campaign and the support of several countries, the UN General Assembly has approved a resolution to observe November 27 every year as the International Day against Child and Forced Marriage.

Bhuwan Ribhu says, "Child protection cannot be seen merely as action against a crime. For this, policy, institutional arrangements, the capacity of officials, community participation, economic measures and technology will all have to be used together. The real aim of the law is not just to punish but to give children a safe future."

The message of the International Day of the Girl Child is clear: a girl's destiny cannot be decided by her age or her gender. Child marriage can end only when the stereotyped thinking that values a girl's marriage over her dreams is changed. Society can truly progress only when girls have books in their hands and dreams of touching the sky in their eyes.