Tseminyu district declares Kithagha, Tseminyu and Khenyu as the first Child Marriage Free villages in Nagaland.
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DIMAPUR — Kithagha, Tseminyu and Khenyu villages of Tseminyu district were declared as the first “Child Marriage Free” villages in Nagaland during the culmination programme of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and observance of Human Rights Day held at the DC conference hall, Tseminyu, on Wednesday.
According to a DIPR report, this initiative makes Tseminyu the first district in the state to formally adopt a community-based declaration against child marriages.
The declaration was made under the 100 Days Campaign of “Child Marriage Free India” of the Department of Women and Child Development, focusing on community ownership in ending child marriage.
Ahead of the declaration, villages were sensitised by Kenyuhyule Thong, child marriage prohibition officer, Tseminyu, on the roles and responsibilities of village panchayats and community leaders and on the legal provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006.
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The initiative was taken under the supervision of Japheth Woch, deputy commissioner of Tseminyu and chairperson of DLC, Mission Shakti, with the objective of achieving a child marriage-free district.
In his keynote address, Woch highlighted that freedom from child marriage is a fundamental human right and reiterated the role of the community in protecting children’s dignity, safety and future. He stated that safeguarding children is a collective responsibility and called upon communities to remain vigilant in protecting the future of every child.
The participants included representatives from different civil society organisations and stakeholders from various government departments, along with village leaders, women and youth groups.