“For parents, getting their daughters married off as soon as they can is the easiest option. It involves the least hassle. For girls, this means a dead end,” Sangeetha, Youth Advocate.

Along with Shakina, there have been 494 other female youth advocates who were offered the tools and training to empower other girls and influence important figures in the fight against child marriage, child trafficking and other forms of violence against girls and women.

Each one of these 495 youth advocates has a story to tell. The Girls Advocacy Alliance goes beyond the numbers and lays within the personal testimonies of fearless leaders throughout the country, whose own experiences and actions show that even small changes can make a big difference. Girls like Divya, Sravani and Sangeetha.

Sangeetha: Standing Up Against Her Own Child Marriage and Countless Others

Several years ago, Sangeetha was a shy girl who worried every day about being forced into a child marriage. Today, it could not be more different. She is a leader, an advocate, and an advisor to all girls in her community looking for an alternative future free from child marriage, teenage pregnancy, and without education.

Sangeetha lives with her widowed father, sister, and grandparents in a remote village in India’s Telangana state. Traditions and customs abided by her family, and the meager income from farming made her vulnerable to child marriage. 

Growing Up Around Child Marriage

“It’s common in my community for girls to be married off by the time they are 16 or 17. Many girls I grew up with in the village are already married and some have even become mothers,” she said.

She feared for her own future and potential child marriage as she saw the negative impacts it had on the lives of married girls in her community.

“They all tell me how difficult life is for them. From dropping out of school to facing challenges with husband and in-laws, and the burden of early motherhood – to name a few. But they had no choice in their marriage. The decision was made for them.”

Life for girls in the area is not easy. Even if they can avoid an early marriage and further their studies, the nearest college is miles away and their long daily commute can involve harassment by boys and men. The fear of dishonor to the family also brings further pressures.

“For parents, getting their daughters married off as soon as they can is the easiest option. It involves the least hassle. For girls, this means a dead end,” she said.

The Inescapable Proposal

Inevitably, at 15, with pressure from her grandparents, her father raised her most-feared topic: getting married.

“I burst into tears. I cried for days in protest, and he eventually backed off. I was allowed to continue my A levels, even though my grandparents were opposed to it,” she said.

However, she knew a day would soon come when her resistance against her grandparents and father’s pressure would not be enough. She needed to find her own solution, so she joined Plan International India’s Girls Advocacy Alliance initiative.

“By becoming part of the Girls Advocacy Alliance, I gained much more knowledge about the true scale of child marriage harmful impact – from consequences on girls’ health to their ability to have a career and be economically independent,” she said. “I also gained confidence on how I can protect myself and stand up for my own rights.”

So, when the unavoidable happened once more, and her father pushed for marriage again, she was better equipped and ready.

“Even though he was more adamant than before, I was able to explain to him how early marriage would damage my chances in life and that I wanted to become a nurse and have a career,” she said.

She was able to bring up her Girls Advocacy Alliance teachings: “I wasn’t going to compromise my future for anything and told my father if he forced me, I would inform the local government official. And if that didn’t work, I would report him to the police.”

The Pressures on a Father in Rural India

Sangeetha’s father also faces his own pressures. As a single parent, Anjaiah struggles to make ends meet on his farm. The financial obligations of having daughters, considering the cost of dowries and continuing education, and the intense expectations from his neighbors to adhere to social norms can take its toll.

“People in the village don’t miss any chance to remind me that I have two daughters to get married off. They tell me the more Sangeetha gets educated, the higher it would cost for her dowry,” said Anjaiah.

Yet, Sangeetha’s resolve and sheer will made her determined she would not sacrifice her own aspirations for the sake of constraining traditional norms and customs.

“This time there were no tears. I instead used my voice and confidence to defend my rights. I realized that change must start at home. I took the lead and prevented my own marriage,” she said. 

Anjaiah fortunately listened: “I am under a lot of pressure from my parents and community members to get Sangeetha married. However, I am committed to support my daughter’s wishes to complete her degree. Initially, I was a bit reluctant, but I was convinced by her determination.”

By being equipped with the right knowledge to confront her father, Sangeetha was able to do the once unthinkable and change the set-in-stone viewpoints of a traditional father.

“At first, my father was surprised by my confidence and my conviction to go to any length to avoid my early marriage. After initial reluctance, he came around to the idea that it’s in my best interest to complete my science degree and have a career,” she said.

And now, Anjaiah is an ally for her two daughters and sees the real potential in them.

“Sangeetha’s confidence and resolve totally changed my perceptions of what girls can and cannot do. I will now do my best to fulfil the ambition of both my daughters,” he said.

The pressures Sangeetha felt are no more. These days she is seen as a leader in her community. Girls seek her out for advice on various gender equality issues, and she regularly speaks at colleges and local events to raise awareness on child marriage.

“I used to be a very shy girl prior to becoming part of the Girls Advocacy Alliance. Now, I am a confident young woman,” she said. “It feels like my life has totally changed in the last year. I used to hear that there is nothing that girls can’t achieve. I now truly believe it.” 

Divya: Taking Girls’ Education into Her Own Hands

When Divya was younger, while taking the 20km journey to school every day, she often wondered why few girls from her village were not joining her. So, she wanted to help. She volunteered for a government scheme in the region, offering to give extra lessons to those girls who cannot get to school. She was told outright this was not something a woman could do on her own.

“For the first time I realized that, as a woman, you are not really taken seriously. This made me even more determined to improve the education of young girls, despite the obvious resistance,” she said.

A Crafty Ruse

Since then, she has been coming up with unique and crafty ways to get girls educated and keep them away from child marriage. It first began with reading and writing. To help more girls from her village into school, Divya secretly teaches them how to read and write.

“I visit the girls at home, where I give them a bit of tuition in reading and writing,” she said. “Then I say to the parents that their daughter must be quite clever because she can already read and write. Just imagine if she went to school!”

So far, seven little girls are in school due to Divya’s unique tactics. She wants to show parents the potential of their daughters so these girls can get the education they are entitled to. Little by little, she is making small steps to empower girls and release their inner confidence and belief.

“The first time I saw them they were very shy, but now they are not afraid to stand up for themselves,” she said.

However, she was aware that there was more that needed to be done. Through a girls’ education program, she came across Plan International India’s Girl Advocacy Alliance.

As a youth advocate for the Girls Advocacy Alliance, Divya joined a youth lobbying group fighting to attain equal rights and opportunities for girls and young women. Together with other girls, she received training to influence decision-makers and challenge deep-rooted gender misconceptions.

She has since stopped five child marriages in her village by directly pressuring their parents.

“My main focus when doing all this is to explain the potential health risks of a child marriage,” she said. “Malnutrition and infant disability are common among babies born to very young mothers because their bodies are just not ready for childbirth. I also caution the parents about the likelihood of their daughters being subjected to abuse in the marriage.”

The Benefits of a Supportive Family

Divya’s own motivation can be seen in the people supporting her. Her love for education is never stifled in her family. Her two sisters and herself always have the backing of supportive parents who are acutely aware of what a lack of education can do to your future.

“My parents never received an education. They are illiterate but smart enough to realize that education is the key to a child’s future. They are happy, but their lack of education severely limits them in terms of economic and social development,” she said. 

Divya once dreamed of becoming a teacher. Now, this is a realistic goal. With the support of her family, her passion for education, and the knowledge she has gained through the Girls Advocacy Alliance, she is determined to continue her amazing work and one day be a teacher of change for the young women in her class.

“…education is the key to a child’s future…”

Sravani: The Future Police Officer Determined to Stamp Out Child Marriage and Trafficking

Sravani, aged 19, did not have the best start to her life. From her first moments in the world, she was subjected to the harrowing gender norms and traditions that follow many girls’ lives in her village.

“After I was born my mother couldn’t have any more children. My father wanted to sell me, but my mother was having none of it and so she left him,” she said.

Yet, despite these initial obstacles, Sravani is now a changemaker who has prevented ten cases of attempted child marriage and helped 50 children get back to school.

Like so many other Indian girls, Sravani was rejected by her father when she was born, simply because he wanted a son. A son means no dowry, no apparent risk of harassment and more financial security. Historical traditions and norms in India have often made having only daughters a problem for fathers.

Fortunately for Sravani, her mother would reject this. She took Sravani away from danger and escaped the marriage, renting a piece of land to farm, which financed Sravani’s schooling. However, just before high school, her mother had a serious accident from which it would take her two years to recover. As a result, Sravani had to find work and leave school.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Sravani got herself a job with the local council, working on the census that was being carried out at the time.

Interestingly, this is where her activism began. Constantly looking at statistics, she became aware of some shocking findings.

“I learned that out of the 108 girls in my village, only 20 went to school. The other 88 were either at home or working,” she said.

Once her mother recovered, Sravani was able to go back to school. It was around this time the Girls Advocacy Alliance came to her village, and her discovery in her old job compelled her to join. There, she learned how to exert influence to stop child marriages and get children back into school – notions Sravani once knew nothing about.

As soon as she hears about a potential child marriage, she immediately visits the family, accompanied by the mayor and school principal, to convince them otherwise.

“Many Indian girls seem to be in a hurry to get married because it means they get to wear a nice dress and be pampered. But somebody has to tell them that life after the wedding is no bed of roses. And their parents need to be informed of the negative aspects associated with a child marriage,” she said.

Armed with skills and communication tools from the Girls Advocacy Alliance, she convinces her community members by narrating the experiences of her cousin.

“My cousin wanted to be a professor, but her dreams were shattered when she was married off at the tender age of 12. She had to leave school and was forced to stay home and obey her husband and in-laws,” she said. “She became pregnant three times, but each time she miscarried as she was young. Had she been allowed to finish school, she would have been able to earn her own living and carve out an independent life for herself.”

Unfortunately, these tales are all too familiar in her village. Her work is never done. Yet, the combination of her straight-talking, relative information, and personalized stories have made an impact.

The Future’s Bright for Sravani

Her experiences with the Girls Advocacy Alliance have given her a steady footing for the future. She wants to do more for girls and become a police officer. Poor law enforcement is often a big factor that allows for child marriages and illegal trafficking to slip through the system. One of her goals as a police officer is to end child trafficking.

“It robs you of your life and it is the worst thing that could happen to you,” she said. 

Perhaps it is not surprising. If it were not for her mother’s own will and determination to leave her father, she could have been a victim of trafficking herself.

“That’s what motivates me to do this. And I am not the only one; there is a whole generation out there yearning for change.”

The Girls Advocacy Alliance

Completed in 2020, after four years of implementation, The Girls Advocacy Alliance placed girls at the forefront in the fight against child, early and forced marriage, with astonishing results.

495 youth advocates were given special training sessions to learn how to influence religious leaders, members of the community and local authorities to reduce child marriage, child trafficking and other inter-related forms of violence against girls and women. The project was simultaneously striving to make education for girls more accessible.

The Girls Advocacy Alliance created opportunities for girls to engage with people in positions of power within their communities and help everyone better understand what perpetuates child, early and forced marriage and its detrimental consequences. It pushed parents and community leaders to let girls get educated and not become victims of child marriage. And it empowered young women to continue their activism and improve the lives of many in their communities.

Girls and youths play a central role in supporting Plan International’s vision of a world in which children’s rights are respected and protected, and where girls are empowered to lead and treated equally and without discrimination. The Girls Advocacy Alliance, and many other projects, follow Plan International’s core strategy when fighting for girls and young women’s rights: to empower girls and provide the right tools and knowledge to prevent and reduce child marriage and child trafficking in their communities.

Categories: Campaigns, Protection from violence, Sexual and reproductive health and rights, Youth empowerment Tags: Activism, child marriage, Civic engagement, Gender-based violence, girls' leadership, Teenage pregnancy