न्यूज अभियान
हरेक खबर विशेष खबर

Kathmandu, Aug 19: Stakeholders assembled in the closing day of a two-day conference here have called upon the government to retain Nepal’s existing legal age for marriage at 20.

They asserted that an effective enforcement of laws against child marriage is more pertinent than lowering the minimum age to 18.

During the Child Rights Learning Conference organized by the Children as Zones of Peace (CZOP), the participants opposed a proposed amendment to reduce the legal marriage age from 20 to 18.
It may be noted that Article 30 of the Constitution of Nepal prohibits forcing children into marriage, while the Section 173 of the National Penal (Code) Act, 2017, criminalizes child marriage with imprisonment up to 3 years and fine up to Rs 30,000. 
Voicing her views, National Assembly member, Roshani Meche pressed for ending child marriage completely, rather than merely reducing its prevalence. She highlighted the importance of collective efforts from all sectors to put an end to the malpractice of child marriage.
Likewise, Tarak Dhital, Former Executive Director of the Central Child Welfare Board, appraised the finding of the studies that lowering the marriage age could adversely affect children’s education, mental well-being, economic prospects, social life and reproductive health. 
He pointed out the need for effective implementation of the National Strategy to End Child Marriage, 2072 BS through close cooperation among all three tiers of government as well as civil sector.
Similarly, Chakra Bahadur Buda, Joint-Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities and Senior Citizens, shared that the government was adopting various measures to prevent child marriage, which, he cautioned, could assume a serious dimension if left unchecked.
Also airing her views, Geeta Dahal, Under-Secretary at the National Human Rights Commission underscored the role of families, communities and the State in discouraging child marriage.
CZOP Chairperson Tilottam Paudel, pointing out to the adverse effects of early marriage, said that childbirth would pose an increased risks to maternal and child health. 
He also warned that child marriage could negatively affect birth and mortality rates.
Meanwhile, the stakeholders attending the conference also called for regular audits of child-responsive budgets to assess their implementation and outcomes. 
Towards this, Gyanu Paudyal, member of the House of Representatives argued that such audits would be imperative to reveal the extent of development and progresses achieved in the child welfare sector.  "A child-responsive budget has been allocated but it has not undergone an audit yet. That needs to happen," Paudyal insisted.  
National Planning Commission member Reshu Aryal Dhungana called for an end to child trafficking and effective realization of children’s rights. 
Other speakers also underlined the need for stronger measures to ensure children’s safety, protection and rights.