I don't know about you, but I love to see when any person stands up for their own beliefs/thoughts/feelings. It takes courage to go against the grain, and to make people listen to you - especially when that person is 12, and a woman. In case you are wondering, I am talking about a young girl, Rekha Kalindi, who stood up against her parents and refused to be married off at the age of 12. She lives in a small rural area in India, that is beyond poor. In India, more than half of the females get married before the legal age of 18, which has been set in law for almost thirty years now. Rekha merely stood up to her father, and expressed her WANT to stay in school and not get married, and since then no young women have been married in the surrounding villages. Rehka understood the negative side effects of being a child bride because of witnessing her sister, who was married off at 11, go through troubles, such as having four children who all died within one year of birth and is illiterate to this day.
Rehka had stopped going to school because of financial issues within her family, but had a second opportunity to attend school through a government program. Because of her witnessing her sister's pitfalls and because she was inspired to learn, she wished to uphold the law and not be married off, at least before the legal age. She is also able to teach the village about other issues, by a sponsored program through UNICEF, known as Child Activist Initiative. Rehka has been given a second chance, and by standing up to her parents she has given other young girls a second chance too.
The story of Rehka is quite moving. This young girl branched out to her teachers, friends, and even government officials. She is even actually getting the President of India to listen to this issue; to consider what the negative effects of child brides could be. I like the quote by a UNICEF spokesperson, Sarah Crowe: "It's terrific how you get that ripple effect of one being brave, sticking out her neck out...and then others following." Now her decision to stay in school is supported by her parents, but at first Rehka was all alone. Luckily now, Rehka has a whole community supporting her courage and her ideas.
I like stories like this one, because it is so rare. Stories like this is what it will take to change people's feelings about child brides. There has to be strong young women, a focus on education for both girls and boys, a strong community upholding the law, and supportive family and friends. All of the efforts needed to halt child brides must begin at the local level - which Rehka's case clearly supports.
In case you were unaware, which I am assuming you are, South Asia has the highest rate of child brides; in India, 44.5% who recently reached the age of 20-24 had been married by the time they were 18, of these 22.6% had been before 16, and 2.6% before 13.
Rehka's story can be found at this website:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2009/0424/p06s07-wosc.html
Rehka had stopped going to school because of financial issues within her family, but had a second opportunity to attend school through a government program. Because of her witnessing her sister's pitfalls and because she was inspired to learn, she wished to uphold the law and not be married off, at least before the legal age. She is also able to teach the village about other issues, by a sponsored program through UNICEF, known as Child Activist Initiative. Rehka has been given a second chance, and by standing up to her parents she has given other young girls a second chance too.
The story of Rehka is quite moving. This young girl branched out to her teachers, friends, and even government officials. She is even actually getting the President of India to listen to this issue; to consider what the negative effects of child brides could be. I like the quote by a UNICEF spokesperson, Sarah Crowe: "It's terrific how you get that ripple effect of one being brave, sticking out her neck out...and then others following." Now her decision to stay in school is supported by her parents, but at first Rehka was all alone. Luckily now, Rehka has a whole community supporting her courage and her ideas.
I like stories like this one, because it is so rare. Stories like this is what it will take to change people's feelings about child brides. There has to be strong young women, a focus on education for both girls and boys, a strong community upholding the law, and supportive family and friends. All of the efforts needed to halt child brides must begin at the local level - which Rehka's case clearly supports.
In case you were unaware, which I am assuming you are, South Asia has the highest rate of child brides; in India, 44.5% who recently reached the age of 20-24 had been married by the time they were 18, of these 22.6% had been before 16, and 2.6% before 13.
Rehka's story can be found at this website:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2009/0424/p06s07-wosc.html
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