India’s child brides have now found a voice in two of the world’s most coveted women – one being Hollywood’s latest sensation and Oscar nominee while another is Indian film industry’s most celebrated international face of fashion, glamor and movies. American actress Jessica Chastain, whose latest role as a CIA agent in Kathryn Bigelow’s military thriller Zero Dark Thirty took the world by storm and got her a best actress nominations at the Oscars told TOI on Saturday that an urgent clamp down is needed on child marriages – a serious social menace in India.
An estimated 47% girls are married off in India before they reach their 15th birthday.
Chastain, who had earlier been nominated for another Oscar as best supporting actress for her role in The Help and has been called the finest actor of her generation told TOI “70% of the world’s women face some form of physical or sexual abuse. Child marriage on the other hand is a serious menace. It is such a pity that 66% of the work forces globally are women but they earn only 10% of the world’s income. It is time women in India and the world were heard and given the respect they deserve”.
Airing similar concerns were Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her husband Abhishek.
The couple, who were in London to share the stage with the biggest names of showbiz – Madonna, Beyonce, Salma Hayek and Jennifer Lopez to raise money for projects to improve the lives of women across the globe told TOI that it is no point in blaming the government for India’s social ills. Aishwarya told TOI “civil society in India needs to wake up. The recent rape of Nirbhaya was just one incident among thousands that take place around the country. It is easy to blame the government. Around 10 million girls are being forced into marriage globally. Every three seconds a child bride is giving birth. They are then five times likelier to die during childbirth because their bodies aren’t ready. The stats are appaling”. Abhishek, who is now a father of a girl child added “Having brought up in a family where a girl and a male child are given the same standing, it is a no brainer for me to give my daughter the best opportunity. Not all girls share the same fate. Indian women need to open their eyes, allow women to get educated and work. The rapes and assaults against women should not be politicised”. Chastain who is synonymous to strong powerful serious roles however says she would love to do a fun and music filled film in India, especially with Shahrukh Khan. Chastain who is believed to be in the running to play the part of Hillary Clinton in the film Rodham told TOI she would love to come to India to promote women’s rights and campaign against girl marriages.
Signing off by saying that the Bollywood number Chammak Challo is her favourite number right now, Chastain told TOI “We are all a big family. The half of the population can’t move ahead if the other half – women are left behind”.
London on Saturday saw 55,000 people gather at the home of English rugby – Twickenham stadium for a deafening concern to raise money for the world’s most pressing challenges for women – lack of education, health care and justice.
The Sound of Change sell out concert saw some of the biggest global names from showbiz gather to raise funds for at least 120 projects supporting girls and women in more than 70 countries from ticket sales alone.
Beyonce, concert artistic director and Chime for Change co-founder, who held audiences spell bound for 45 minutes said “I am really happy that so many amazing artists and presenters have come together to support the concert on 1 June. Our goal is to have a great time together while we unite and strengthen the voices of girls and women around the world.”
Madonna, founder of the Ray of Light Foundation, said: “Around 60% of the children in the world not in school are girls while 2/3 of the world’s illiterate are women. Do not accept this. We need to change this and we will change this.”
