Laxmi Sargara

Laxmi Sargara hold a wedding cancellation. (AFP Photo) While other kids his age are still learning to walk, Laxmi Sargara married. When Laxmi year old, his family to match him with Rakesh, who was 3 years old.
Now, 17 years later, the couple made a new history with the cancellation of their wedding. While the real heroes in this story is Laxmi, who is now aged 18. He took a bold step to reverse the age-old tradition, and to open the door for other children who have been married to follow in his footsteps.
Although technically the tradition of child marriage is illegal in India, poor families who live in rural areas often do. They use their children as pawns in order to better financial stability - especially those who can not afford to feed their children.
Potentially devastating effects were felt the children who have been married, they were taken from parents' home as a teenager. They were forced to live with their husbands and family. The girls were required to be able to play a role as a wife as well as a dutiful daughter.
In some cases, they were often beaten his new family member.
A few days ago, Laxmi notified of the obligation of marriage, which was agreed on almost two decades ago by the elders in Rajasthani, and he was given until 24 April deadline to move out and live with in-laws.
"I was not happy with this marriage. I said to my parents, they do not agree. Then I decided to ask for help," said Sargara told AFP.
He complained to a social worker in Jodhpur, which advocates for the rights of children through an organization called Sarathi Trust. The social worker contacted the groom.
After the negotiation process, finally the man changed his mind and agreed to the cancellation of the marriage, given the fact that he had married a woman whose whole life just trying to escape from himself.
"This is the first example we know of the marriage of children, who asked that her wedding was canceled, and we hope that other couples inspired by the incident," said Kriti Bharti, social workers arrange the cancellation of the wedding, told AFP.
A formal agreement document has been signed by both parties, both Rakesh and Laxmi, which is expected to pave the way for other children the couple to take the same action.
"Now, mentally I became more relaxed, and family members as well as with me," says Laxmi with a beaming face, holding up the documents to the direction of the photographer. He plans to continue their education in hopes to get a job.
In India, an estimated 50 percent of girls marry before age 18. The country is in fact opposed the marriage of children by providing a sufficiently serious threat of punishment, as well as cases of rape, beatings and other violence.
Child marriage is a phenomenon that is happening around the world, especially in rural areas of high poverty rates and clutching an ancient tradition. In the other hemisphere, namely in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Middle East, and even the United States, children under age forced her family to marry.
In recent years, American authorities have crushed the fundamental polygamous sects in Utah and Texas, which is known to pair up with the groom's bride is still a child.
While other countries, yet there are enough laws to protect the girls. In Yemen, there is no law that prohibits a family to marry off his daughter, who is still underage, so about half of the bride is under age 15.
While in Saudi Arabia, there is no minimum limit on the age of marriage. An 8-year-old girl was married in 2009. Her husband was 58.