MUMBAI: A Mumbai based NGO, Harmony Foundation, in collaboration with local law enforcement, orchestrated a crucial rescue operation on Tuesday to save a 12-year-old girl from the atrocity of child marriage in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh. This intervention has helped the minor girl to fully avoid further suffering due to this illegal marriage.
The 12-year-old girl whose father had passed away a couple of years ago was formerly studying in Kurla (east), Mumbai.Later, her mother remarried, and the family had relocated to Andhra Pradesh. Through reliable sources, Harmony Foundation discovered that the girl was being forced into marriage, scheduled for July 16. The wedding card confirmed these distressing plans, prompting immediate action from the NGO.
“We contacted the Superintendent of Police of Kurnool, Krishna Kanth, to take immediate action against this wedding. Furthermore we also managed to obtain the girl’s Aadhar card from the school she attended in Kurla (east), confirming her birth in May 2012, and hence showcasing that she was indeed a minor of age 12 years. Swift arrangements were made for her rescue and rehabilitation. This case highlights a distressing pattern where the relatives shirk their responsibility of taking care of the girl,” said the founder-chairman of Harmony Foundation, and former vice chairperson of Maharashtra minorities commission, Dr Abraham Mathai.
Child marriage is a grave violation of human rights that robs young girls of their childhood, education, and future opportunities. It reinforces cycles of poverty, illiteracy, and abuse and poses severe health risks due to early pregnancy and childbirth. Despite legal frameworks established in our country to prevent such practices, child marriage remains prevalent in various regions, driven by socio- cultural norms and economic pressures.
Harmony Foundation urges communities to recognize that child marriage is not just a social issue but a grave criminal offence. The legal age of marriage is established to ensure that individuals are mature enough to make informed decisions about their lives. Forcing children into marriage not only robs them of their rights but also subjects them to a life of hardship and unfulfilled potential. Unfortunately, in many cases that we witness it’s the family that carries forth such heinous acts of child marriage to get rid of their responsibilities.
This rescue operation of the minor girl backed by the AP police, exemplifies the critical need for vigilance and active participation in safeguarding children’s rights. It also highlights the importance of awareness and education in combating child marriage.
“The rescued girl is now kept at a safe place by the AP police, and we thank the police officers for immediately acting on our complaint and rescuing the minor girl in the nick of time from the wedding hall,” added Mathai.