13-Year-Old Who Stopped A Child Marriage In Her Family To Be Felicitated

A 13-year-old girl who stopped a child marriage will be felicited by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adinayath. Vanshika Gautum, a class eight student from Kasturba Gandhi Avasiya Vidyalaya in Kharkhauda area, stopped a child marriage taking place in her family. She is among 20 girls who will be felicitated by the state CM in Lucknow ahead of International Women’s Day. Uttar Pradesh's government gives this award to girl students who work to promote education and create awareness.

SOME TAKEAWAYS:

• Vanshika Gautam, a 13-year-old from UP prevented a child marriage taking place in her family.
• Vanshika is part of her school program, Meena Manch, a group that aims at promoting education amongst girls and empowering them.
• Uttar Pradesh's government gives this award to girl students who work to promote education and create awareness. 

13-year-old Vanshika stopped the wedding of her underage cousin and convinced her paternal aunt and the rest of her family that she can't be married before she turns 18.

Read Also: Priyanka Shares Hasina’s Story Of How She Fought Child Marriage

Recalling the incident Vanshika said, "Nearly a year ago, I had intervened when my paternal aunt was preparing to marry my 16-year-old cousin. It was only after I convinced her and my entire family that they cannot get her married before the age of 18 that they agreed to let her continue her education." Vanshika is part of her school program, Meena Manch reports Hindustan Times, which is a group that aims to promote education amongst girls and empower them.

Kumari Priyankar, the officiating warden of Kasturba Gandhi Avasiya Vidyalaya Kumari Priyankar, said, “Vanshika has been called to Lucknow on March 5 along with other girls from the state where they will be felicitated for their efforts." She further said, "It is a matter of pride for the school that our student is going to be honored at the state level."

"It was only after I convinced her and my entire family that they cannot get her married before the age of 18 that they agreed to let her continue her education."

Read Also: Girl Who Escaped Child Marriage Scores 90% In II PUC Exam

The National Family Health Survey 4 report — conducted in 2015-16, found a drop in the number of child brides in a span of ten years, falling to 11.9 percent from 29 percent in 2005-06. Of all the girls married off between the age of 15-19, almost a quarter of them had a child by age 17, and 31 percent by age 18, found the survey.

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Mansi is an Intern at SheThePeople.TV