The Indian state of Bihar has the highest rate of child marriage in the country, with almost half of all women married by the age of 15 – in spite of a law prohibiting marriage before the age of 18 for girls and 21 for boys.
The Elders were in Bihar to visit Jagriti – or 'awakening' in Hindi – a new campaign led by young people to eliminate child marriage in India. Their slogan is “My life, my decision, stop child marriage.”
The Elders were in Bihar to visit Jagriti – or 'awakening' in Hindi – a new campaign led by young people to eliminate child marriage in India. Their slogan is “My life, my decision, stop child marriage.”
A row of girls listen during the Elders' visit to the Jagrit
As part of its campaign to mobilise youth across the state of Bihar, Jagriti runs a signature campaign asking young people to pledge not to marry early - and asking parents to pledge not to marry off their children before the legal age of marriage. They have already collected more than 21,000 pledges.
Young people participating in the Jagriti campaign in Dhanar
Mary Robinson said how inspired she was by Jagriti's young volunteers leading the campaign to stop child marriage.
She spoke to the girls about the potential for girls and women to help their countries advance. "If a girl is educated and doesn't marry too young, and she becomes active in her community, that community prospers, and the country prospers."
She spoke to the girls about the potential for girls and women to help their countries advance. "If a girl is educated and doesn't marry too young, and she becomes active in her community, that community prospers, and the country prospers."
Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu and Gro Harlem Brundtland speak
In February 2012 four Elders travelled to Bihar, India, to meet a group of young people campaigning to stop child marriage. After listening to the teenage girls and boys, Desmond Tutu, Ela Bhatt, Gro Brundtland and Mary Robinson raised the issue with Bihar's Chief Minister, urging him to support the growing movement to end this harmful practice.
Photos: Tom Pietrasik | The Elders