A BIKE RIDE; (STORY)
“Empowering Girls, Erasing Boundaries: Say No to Child Marriage, Say Yes to Dreams!”
At 3:00 in the afternoon, I glanced at the clock and hastily packed my laptop into my bag. Seeking permission from my boss, I explained that I needed to leave for a girl’s house with my family for a marriage proposal. “Why?” questioned my boss sternly. “I have to go with my family for a marriage proposal,” I replied. My boss, with a smile, granted me leave, saying, “Go and enjoy, Shazi.”
I started my bike journey home, navigating through heavy traffic. While waiting at a red light, I suddenly felt a presence behind me. A girl had jumped onto the back seat of my bike. Surprised, I asked, “Who are you? Please move away.” She tearfully pleaded, “Please start the bike, and I will explain everything.” Initially frightened, I looked at her face and felt sympathy. I started the bike and inquired, “Now, tell me who you are.”
“It’s a long story,” she began. I reassured her, “No problem, just tell me.” She started narrating her tale.
“” See you tomorrow,” Zini had said, rushing toward her house. Upon entering my home, I found three people seated on the sofa with my parents. My mother gestured towards a 30-year-old man, Ali, and his parents, indicating they were there for my marriage proposal. Shocked, I retreated to my bedroom and closed the door. After a few minutes, I emerged and was informed, “Congratulations, your marriage is on friday.” I felt like my world was crashing down.
“I don’t want to get married,” I protested to my father. “I want to explore the world, chase my dreams, and be independent. I am only 18 and have just completed my matriculation. I want to continue my education.” I poured out my feelings to my father, who responded, “Girls are meant to get married. Society expects it. Be ready for this Friday.” I was shattered and forbidden from attending college from that day on, all my dreams trampled.””
I brought the bike to a halt as signaled by the motorway police. “Yes, sir, what’s the matter?” I inquired. “You’re going the wrong way,” the officer informed me, demanding a fine of 2000 rupees. After paying the fine, she starts telling her story again,
“” On that fateful Friday, my wedding day, I fled from home and made my way to the college entrance test. Meanwhile, at the wedding, the bride was nowhere to be found. The groom’s family waited for an hour before leaving. Three days later, I returned home to face everyone’s anger. My father scolded me severely, and I was confined indoors, akin to a mere ornament on display. Despite this, I received a letter from the college last month, confirming my admission. I escaped and found solace in being with you, by the way some other people are coming to see me today, but I will not be there, she said.””
As she finished her story, she asked me to drop her at the bus stop. She disembarked, expressing her gratitude. Curious about her plans, I inquired. “I aim to change society’s perception of girls and discourage early marriages,” she said, laughing.
Rushing home, I soon found myself at her house with my family. Upon our arrival, the family appeared distressed, and the girl’s father apologized, explaining that she had run away. Observing the pictures on the wall, I interjected, “She didn’t run away from marriage; she ran away to change society’s perception of girls. One day, she will make you proud.”
According to UNICEF, an estimated 650 million girls and women alive today were married in childhood. Every year, 12 million girls under the age of 18 are married. Child marriage is most common in South Asia, where nearly half of all girls are married before they turn 18. It is also common in Sub-Saharan Africa, where one in three girls is married before she turns 18. There are many reasons why child marriage is so common in some parts of the world. Poverty and society thinking are major factor.
There are a number of things that can be done to prevent child marriage. Educating girls and their families about the dangers of child marriage is essential. Governments can also play a role by passing laws that ban child marriage and enforcing those laws.
