Sakuntala Dash
After receiving a child marriage complaint, I immediately passed it on to the concerned Police Station to respond and provide the necessary support. Later, a team of district and block officials reached them physically to mobilize their support. Despite that, the police were not ready to move, rather reluctant to respond to the issue.
There are laws in the country to prevent child marriage. Accordingly, a system is also in place to respond to the call. The administration is constantly giving efforts for the proper implementation of an available legal provision. Activities are being planned and implemented for behavioral changes at the community level.
Solemnization of child marriage is a non-bailable offense as prescribed under Section 15 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, and Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974). This envisages the role of the police to combat the punishable offense.
Though child marriage grossly violates the human rights of child bride and groom, there are complaints that the police do not give much importance to child marriage as other crimes.
As per the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-2021), girl child marriage is 20.5% in Odisha whereas it was 21.3 % in NFHS -4. On the other hand, the National Crime Records Bureau data reflects that only 22 cases in 2019 and 24 cases in 2020 were registered in Odisha. These two reports reflect a gap in the execution of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, of 2006.
A Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for the Investigation and Prevention of Child Marriage was issued by the Criminal Investigation Department on December 26, 2018, vide letter number 47181/CID-IAHTU. The SoP ensures taking proactive steps to prevent child marriage after the police receive the information.
The SoP directs to immediately convert a complaint received verbally or in writing into an FIR. It is mentioned that Police must inform the concerned Child Marriage Prohibition Officer (CMPO) and investigate the matter. Even if the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer or other designated personnel are unavailable, police may visit the place, rescue the minor, and take the necessary action as per the law. Police should go without uniforms and be accompanied by women officials to make it easier and not scare the children.
Prevention has also been given importance in the SoP. The police department has been asked to conduct an awareness campaign against child marriage in the local area with the coordination of NGOs, teachers, Anganwadi workers, and ASHA workers. The police should also organize programs in schools and panchayats with the help of teachers and Panchayati raj representatives to build awareness of child marriage.
Most of the time police act as a force to protect the law-and-order situation. There is also a fear of the police exist. It’s time to show that the police are not just a force, but rather a service to the public.
To reduce crime and violence, the police have now taken up the Community Policing Programme by forming and strengthening ‘Ama Police Samiti’ at a community level. This has been beneficial for creating a friendly atmosphere with the public and solving problems amicably.
The issue of child marriage can also be taken up by the police through Ama Police Samiti. This will strengthen the girl’s morale to say NO to child marriage. In districts like Jharsuguda, and Nabarangpur of Odisha, the Ama Police Samitis are organizing block-wise awareness programs on child protection including child marriage on a campaign basis. Police stations have adopted villages to make them child marriage free. These best practices need to be replicated in other districts.
Police can execute the SoP to combat child marriage in coordination with Child Marriage Prohibition Officer. There is a need to build the capacity of the police personnel in understanding the issue of child marriage, its impact on adolescents, society, and the legal framework. Aware and passionate police can play a pivotal role in making the state child marriage free by executing the SoP in letter and spirit.
(Ms. Sakuntala Dash is a development professional presently working as a district coordinator of ActionAid at Balasore district in Odisha, Views are personal)
Tags: #childmarriage #AmaPoliceSamitis #Anganwadiworkers #CMPO #UNICEFIndia #childrights #ChildMarriageProhibition