Dailekh, Child Clubs of Dailekh district themselves are found engaged in order to stop child marriage. Child clubs are being formed at different local level; rural municipality and municipality level of Dailekh district and preventing child marriage. The children studying in grade 6 to 12 are involved to prohibit child marriage. “The complaints of child marriage are registered to District Police office or Bal Helpline number 1098 of Women and Children Center which is regulated by Social Service Center (SOSEC) Nepal, Dailekh” says, ‘Hira Singh Thapa- Founder Chair person of SOSEC, Nepal.’ He further says that,” along with the Child Club, Youth Club and Female Network that are working actively at the community level also making efforts to stop child marriage. “They don’t only stop child marriage but also visit their parents and request them to stop child marriage and inform them it is against law and also suggest them to report to police if they do forcefully.
According to Child Right Activists, Child Clubs and Youth Clubs, Female Networks are working actively in community to stop child marriage completely either it is done on the willingness and agreement of the children or forcefully by parents.
It was noticed that more than seven hundred child marriages were stopped within a year 2017. In which 117 cases were informed through “Bal helpline” regulated by SOSEC Nepal, Dailek said BAL helpline coordinator Rama Shrestha. Likewise, 99 cases were registered in District Police Office through different sources and 701 child marriages were stopped through the help of different Child Club, Youth Club, Female Network and Child protection Committee of Dailekh district said Child Protection Officer, Nirmal Adhikari. He further said that Child Club, Youth Club, Female Network and Child protection Committee are cooperating to stop child marriage in the community. Similarly, civil society has also been carrying out different awareness raising activities relating to the downside of child marriage and gender based violence.
According to the district women and child right activists, “there is policy that no one can get married under the age of 20. The reason behind women violence and polygamy/double marriage is child marriage.”
