Int'l meet expresses concern over prevalence of child marriage

A high-level meeting on child rights today expressed concern over the prevalence of child marriage and said that teenage pregnancy placed the lives of young girls and their babies at severe risk.
"The practice of marriage before 18 years of age not only separates girls from their families and communities at very young ages, but also imposes many restrictions on their personal and professional freedom," stated a declaration adopted by the Second High-Level Meeting on South-South Cooperation for Child Rights in Asia and the Pacific here.
The three-day conclave attended by about 200 delegates, including 21 ministers from 33 countries, concluded today.

The meet focused on the various aspects and problems of adolescence, early childhood care and development.
"We note that teenage pregnancy places lives of young girls and their babies at severe risk. These risks increase in the case of pregnancies of unmarried teenage girls," it said.
The meeting asked the countries to ensure adequate investment for adolescents, including in the areas of health, education, job creation and social participation.

It is necessary to address the different threats and challenges faced at each stage of adolescence and eliminate violence against children and adolescents to promote adolescents' participation in their own capacity development, the declaration states.

Participants at the meet decided to share and promote strategies to take into account perspectives of adolescents in the formulation of policies and in the identification and implementation of actions affecting adolescents.
It was recommended that strategies should be chalked out to strengthen the future employability of adolescents, particularly adolescent girls.
"We recognise that the rights of children are inter- related and interdependent and each one of them is equally important and fundamental to the well-being of the child," Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath said in her concluding remarks at the meet.