Aagya Khabar
Bardibas

“Do not marry before the age of 20. If you marry after 20, the municipality will provide you with a support of NPR 50,000.”
With these words, Bardibas Mayor Prahlad Kumar Kshetri made a public commitment to the youths, parents, and community leaders of the Musahar settlement.

On Chaitra 5, 2080 (March 18, 2024), Mayor Kshetri reached the Musahar community in Bardibas-14 and initiated a bold and practical step to combat child marriage. His announcement has sparked a nationwide discussion on how local governments can play a decisive role in eliminating child marriage through actionable incentives.

Mayor Kshetri stated clearly, “From now on, if individuals from the Musahar community marry before the age of 20, their marriage will not be recognized by the municipality. However, if they marry after turning 20, the municipality will provide a reward of NPR 50,000 per couple.”

Practical Incentives Over Paper Bans
Child marriage is legally prohibited in Nepal. The prevailing law sets the legal age of marriage at 22 for males and 20 for females. Yet, in many marginalized, Dalit, and impoverished communities, early marriages are still prevalent. Among these, the Musahar community—one of the most disadvantaged—faces extreme challenges in reducing child marriages.

Bardibas-14’s Musahar settlement is a prime example. Most children here are deprived of education, pushed into labor at a young age, and frequently married off early.

More Than a Plan: A Grassroots Awareness Campaign
Mayor Kshetri didn’t stop at making announcements—he reached out door-to-door within the community to explain the dangers and legal consequences of child marriage.
“Child marriage destroys the health, education, and future of children,” he said. “From now on, the municipality will actively work within communities to stop such practices.”
His intervention has set an example of how elected representatives can take bold steps at the grassroots level.

A Declaration That Brings Both Responsibility and Opportunity
The incentive of NPR 50,000 has not only created discussion but also sparked awareness in the Musahar community.

One local leader said, “We never imagined receiving such support. Now we are thinking more about educating our children than marrying them off.”
A teenage girl shared, “We used to think marriage was the ultimate goal in life. But now, the environment is shifting—education is becoming a priority.”

How Will the Program Be Implemented?
The municipality is preparing to roll out the initiative under the “Child Marriage Reduction Incentive Program.”

Key highlights include:

• Target Community: Dalit, indigenous, and poor communities within Bardibas Municipality, with initial focus on the Musahar community.

• Eligibility: Proof that both individuals refrained from marrying before turning 20.

• Incentive: NPR 50,000 grant per couple who marry after age 20.

• Monitoring: Through schools, community groups, and women’s associations.

Not Just for the Musahar Community
Mayor Kshetri has clarified that while the initiative starts with the Musahar community, it will gradually expand to other marginalized groups.
He emphasized, “Ending child marriage is one of the municipality’s top priorities. Our vision is equal opportunity and a secure future for all.”

With Political Will, Change Is Possible
Across Nepal, policies and laws against child marriage exist, but they often remain on paper. They rarely reach the households where such practices are rooted.
The Bardibas initiative demonstrates that with genuine political will and a commitment to implementation, even deeply ingrained social issues can be addressed at the community level.

Ending child marriage requires more than just legal restrictions. It takes practical incentives, active community participation, and sustained awareness campaigns.

Mayor Kshetri’s effort holds the potential to become a model not only for Bardibas Municipality but for the entire Madhesh region—and indeed, for all of Nepal.