Religious leaders who have a direct and indirect role in religious rites under the Krishnanagar Municipality of Kapilvastu have expressed their mutual commitment to the campaign against child marriage.
A one-day interaction program on the role of religious leaders in child marriage prevention has been organized in Krishnanagar Municipality with the support of UNICEF Nepal. Discussions were held on the age group of children, child rights, child marriage, and its impact and legal punishment.
Collecting suggestions from the participants about their role in the prevention of child marriage, they expressed their collective commitment not to get involved in child marriage and to inform the municipality, police, and related bodies if they find out that it has taken place somewhere.
The program was facilitated by Maulvi, Maulana, Jyotish, and Pandit from Krishnanagar Municipality and Thuma Upadhyaya, Head of the Women and Children Branch of Krishnanagar Municipality, RT Khan of Siddhartha Social Development Center. The program was attended by 20 people including Maulana Mashhood Khan Nepali and Prem Kumar Sharma.
Also, the Krishnanagar municipality level child marriage prevention committee has been formed. A seven-member committee has been formed under the coordination of Birendra Kumar Shukla. Among them were Zaheer Ahmed Barelvi, Anuradha Giri, Umesh Tiwari, Pradip Tiwari, Sheikh Jais Makki, and Ajay Mishra.
Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Mashhood Khan Nepali said that child marriage should not take place anywhere as it endangers the lives of both mother and child, as well as incomplete education and immaturity.
Kapilvastu
