Let's Hear It for the Girls!

When I was 12 years old, I could barely draw myself away from Saved By the Bell reruns long enough to acknowledge problems of greater import than the classic “mean girls” at school. Yet today I read about two young girls, Chanigalla Susheela and Minati Gagaral (12 and 14 years old, respectively), who not only faced a problem so much bigger than what I could imagine dealing with at that age, but reacted to it with courage impressive for even a 25-year-old.

These two young women received the National Bravery Award in India for protesting child marriage:

Showing remarkable courage, Susheela, who was married to a 22-year-old man against her wishes [when she was 12 years old] and refused the right to continue schooling, demanded a formal annulment of the marriage under the supervision of the panchayat.

She approached volunteers from the MV Foundation and the village panchayat convincing them to support her.

A meeting was convened on June 12, 2005 and the marriage was annulled under the supervision of the panchayat.

Susheela's courage inspired 30 other girls in the area to dissolve similar marriages.

Because of this girl’s one act of courage, 30 other girls stood up for themselves as well. And it doesn’t end there:

Similar is the tale of [14-year-old] Minati who was pressurised by a 50-year-old man to marry him.

As per Adivasi custom, her elder brother did not allow her to stay in her parents house thereafter and even threatened to kill her.

However, diminutive Minati refused to accept the aged man as her husband and stood up against the Adivasi custom and child marriage.

She left the house and stayed in the forest for two to three days without food. Then, with the help of locals, she reported the matter to police....

When asked what she planned to do with the prize money she would get along with the bravery award, Minati said "I will study."

Source:
Sify News.com, “Tribal Girls Stand Up Against Child Marriage.”
http://sify.com/news/othernews/fullstory.php?id=14122890