SANKALPA – Empowering Stakeholders, and Protecting Children from Early and Forced Marriage

SANKALPA – Empowering Stakeholders, and Protecting Children from Early and Forced Marriage

SANKALPA – Empowering Stakeholders, and Protecting Children from Early and Forced Marriage in Dullu municipality Dailekh and Badhaiyataal Rural Municipality Bardiya to reduce the incidences of Early and Forced Marriage in rural and marginalized communities in Dailkeh and Bardiya district (Karnali and Lumbini province) Nepal.

Achievements

1. In project area there is mandatory to obtain age verification certificate and pre-consent letter to conduct marriage ceremony. The 3 ward nos. 1, 4 and 5 of Bardiya district, where the project is currently running, has made it mandatory to obtain these documents. Marriages are not registered in the absence of these documents.
2. Verifying the age of groom and bride by religious leaders. And in case they are minors or either one is a minor, the cases are reported to the project and the local police.
3. Even the community people have started inquiring about the age of the groom and bride before attending a wedding.
4. A member of a survivors’ group in Dailekh registered a case of child marriage in the district police office, Dailekh on behalf of the victim.
5. The community-based groups are actively engaged in raising awareness against EFM as well as monitoring and reporting the EFM cases.
6. The children of CFS have started to claim their rights with the ward offices and teachers for education materials and CFS management. Furthermore, they are attending school regularly and are participating in extra-curricular activities reflecting their increasing self -esteem and confidence. They have more understanding on EFM, gender discrimination, domestic violence and sexual abuse. They are even winning community level competitions held by the project in collaboration with the local government and organizations.

Key lessons learnt.

1. Need peer counseling to high risk of child marriage and survivors of ECM to reduce ECM.
2. We need more focus to children, share own problem than young people.
3. Need to give roles to youth groups to mobilize other groups; brother groups and child club. Within groups they can share own experiences, learning and challenges.