THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 18, 2022 Page 9 Text of Malden City Council resolution condemning the abusive practice of child marriage in Mass. R Thousands of Haitian migrants are among the many seeking asylum in the United States across the Mexican border, but are being blocked by Title 42 regulations. esolve: That we the Malden City Council strongly condemn the abusive practice of child marriage in Massachusetts. Further, that we indicate our support for state-level legislation currently under consideration to ban legal marriage in Massachusetts, for the protection of human rights, dignity, and opportunity for all young people, especially young women who are disproportionately impacted by child marriage laws. WHEREAS forced child marriage constitutes a violation of a minor child’s rights and dignity; and WHEREAS the United States Pictured from left to right: Malden City Councillors Chris Simonelli (Ward 7) and Amanda Linehan (Ward 3) both voted in favor of both City Council resolutions passed on Tuesday – condemning child marriage in Massachusetts and supporting Haitians’ U.S. asylum application rights. the resolution during the public comment segment of the City Council meeting. “Each of you have pledged to protect children in the course of your responsibilities as City Councillors,” said Luong, herself a candidate for City Council in November’s election. “In the past year a 12-year-old and a 13-year-old girl have been married to older men and in Massachusetts alone 55 girls age 15 or younger were married to older men.” Luong asked the councillors to support the resolve on Tuesday’s docket and for them and their ward and citywide constituents to contact State Representatives Steven Ultrino (D-Malden), Paul Donato (D-Malden, Medford) and Kate Lipper-Garabedian D-Malden, Melrose, Wakefi eld) as well as State Senator Jason Lewis (D-5th Middlesex) to express their condemnation of the child marriage practice. Zonta International active against child marriage worldwide since 2014 Zonta International, to which the Zonta Club of Malden belongs, has supported ending child marriage since 2014, contributing $2 million to delay early marriage in Niger from 20142018. From 2018-2020, Zonta contributed 2 million to the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Program to End Child Marriage – the fi rst private-sector donor to the Global Program. “It’s amazing this [child marriage] is still happening. This would have been inappropriate 100 years ago – let alone today,” Ward 6 Councillor Stephen Winslow said. “To have young girls 12 or 13 being forced into marriage is simply abuse.” Before the unanimous vote was taken in favor of the resolution, the other six councillors, in addition to the original sponsors – Councillors Linehan, Winslow, Colón Hayes (at-Large) and Ryan O’Malley (Ward 4) – all signed on as cosponsors. McDonald: movement to rescind Title 42 growing regionally, nationally Councillor McDonald said the resolution he cosponsored with Councillor Colón Hayes – calling for the ceasing of federal deportations of Haitians at the U.S.-Mexico border by denying application for asylum – is “a big issue with the Haitian community [in Malden].” According to the last U.S. Census in 2020, of Malden’s total population of 66,352, approximately 9,350 residents are Black (14.1%) and over 30% (over 3,000) are of Haitian descent. Councillor McDonald said there is a growing movement both regionally and statewide to get behind a push toward the administration of President Joe Biden to rescind the Title 42 regulation, which originated under former President Donald Trump, which denies Haitians at the Mexico and Texas border the opportunity to seek/apply for asylum in the United States. Title 42 expulsions are removals by the U.S. government of persons who have recently been in a country where a communicable disease was present. The extent of authority for contaDepartment of State recognizes marriage under 18 to be a human rights abuse; and WHEREAS current Massachusetts law includes a loophole allowing marriage under age 18 and with no minimum age, region-related expulsions is set out by law in 42 U.S.C. § 265. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump Administration used this provision (section 265) to generally block land entry for many migrants, particularly a sulting in more than 1,200 children as young as 13 married in the Commonwealth between 2000 and 2018 – 83% of them to adult men; and WHEREAS child marriage increases the risk of domestic violence and poverty, and undermines a child’s access to healthcare, education, and opportunity; and WHEREAS minors who are married cannot obtain abuse prevention orders, seek help from DCF or domestic violence shelters, enter into a legal contract or retain an attorney, or even fi le for their own divorce or annulment; and WHEREAS child marriage petitions have continued throughout the pandemic, and Massachusetts has no residency requirement for out-of-state petitioners, resulting in our status as a ‘destination’ for those seeking child marriages. large number of Haitians seeking asylum/entry to the United States. The program has been continued by the Biden Administration. Two other Councillors, Paul Condon (Ward 2) and Craig NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE MALDEN CITY COUNCIL: 1. Condemns the abusive practice of child marriage in Massachusetts. 2. Stands with women’s right organizations, including Zonta International, and elected leaders across the country, including our own local legislative delegation, who are working to end the harmful and archaic practice of child marriage; 3. Supports statewide legislation that would ban child marriage and affirm a legal marriage age of 18 with no loopholes. Sponsors: Amanda Linehan, Stephen Winslow, Karen Colón Hayes and Ryan O’Malley NOTE: Before the vote was taken, ALL City Councilors in attendance joined as cosponsors, so ALL 11 Councillors now are sponsors of this resolution. Spadafora (City Council President, at-Large), spoke against the resolution. Three Councillors, aside from McDonald, spoke in favor of it. RESOLUTIONS | SEE PAGE 21 Banking with a hometown touch. Open a free checking account with no monthly fees, and get access to Mobile Banking, Bill Pay and other features. Because no matter where you go, we’re right by you. Call or visit us to sign up. 419 BROADWAY, EVERETT MA 02149 61 7-38 7 - 1 1 10 7 7 1 SALEM ST, LYNNFIELD, MA 01940 781-7 76- 4444 WWW.EVERET TBANK . COM Right by you. Member FDIC Member DIF
10 Publizr Home