Tribal adolescents speak about child marriages at Mandal Mela held in Jhabua

Senior Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: Surrounded by scenic beauty, villagers and experts gathered in Hatyadeli Panchayat of Jhabua district to listen to views of adolescents on issues that impact them at a Mandal Mela held on Friday.

The event was organised by Vasudha Sansthan in partnership with UNICEF as part of initiative to strengthen voices of adolescents and giving platform for voices of adolescents.

Six groups of adolescents shared their views on refusing underage marriages and effects of early marriage using songs in Bhili dialect, urging villagers and their peers not to go in for child marriage.

Adolescents also performed a skit on theme of impact of child marriage and malaria.

Photographs taken by adolescents were also displayed on the occasion in typical style on traditional cots made of bunk ropes. The photographs covered issued the youngsters of issues they notice on the ground.

Michael Juma, Chief, UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh, Sarpanch Ramchand, Dr Vandana Bhatia, Health Specialist, UNICEF, Anil Gulati Communication Specialist, UNICEF and Sujan Sarkar, PME Officer UNICEF and panchayat members listened to the adolescents and also replied to questions by them.

Michael Juma stressed on the need to focus on issue like child marriage, nutrition, immunization and also to ensure that they become part of the agenda of the panchayat and gram sabha.

Dr Vandana Bhatia interacted with adolescents and people on issues being faced by them on child health and need to focus on immunization. Gayatri Parihar of Vasudha Sanathan shared the efforts of adolescents and thanked the support from panchayat in this initiative.