DCW asks DMs to keep an eye on child marriages

Expressing concern over child marriages in the national capital, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued notice to all the District Magistrates (DMs) to take a count of such incidents.

"The Delhi Commission for Women has received several complaints of child marriage and it had undertaken rescue operations all over Delhi. In certain cases it is observed that the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act fails to address the issue and does not play satisfactory role in penalizing accused persons," said the DCW in a statement.

"We have rescued several minors from child marriages in Delhi. Sad that even in today's times, child marriages continue to occur. Feel prohibition against Child Marriage Act has failed to create deterrence. Today, we issued notices to all DMs seeking information on this issue," DCW chief Swati Maliwal said.

The DCW has asked the DMs to provide them, by January 25, reports of any child marriage incidents within the jurisdiction of each sub division, number of complaints received regarding child marriages from 2013 till date, action taken on each complaint along with the present status, whether child marriage prohibition officer within the jurisdiction has organised any awareness camps to sensitize the community on the issue, problems being encountered by DMs office as well each sub-division office in the jurisdiction in the proper implementation of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

--IANS

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