Centre Launches 100-Day Intensive Awareness Campaign Against Child Marriage

New Delhi: Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Annpurna Devi on Thursday formally launched the 100-Day Intensive Awareness Campaign for a 'Child Marriage Free Bharat', to mark one year of the 'Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat' campaign, and stressed on making the country child marriage free.

The 100-day campaign launched is a three-phase campaign strategy through which the Ministry of Women and Child Development has called upon citizens, institutions, and community leaders to participate in the movement towards establishing a Child Marriage Free Bharat.

Child marriage refers to the marriage of a girl who is below 18 years of age or a boy who is under 21 years of age. In addition to it, if an adult male over 21 years enters into marriage with a girl under the age of 18, this type of marriage comes under child marriage.

Devi said this 100-day campaign is being organised to give momentum to the 'Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat' campaign. "When we started this campaign a year ago, our sole aim was to build an India where every daughter and son can shape their future in an environment filled with security and respect. With the passing of a year, it is an opportunity to assess how far we have progressed and how far we have to go," she said.

Devi said when this campaign was launched last year, with people's support and their participation, it became a "jaan aandolan" (mass movement).

"Then, people from all communities and citizens across the country turned it into a mass movement with their support and dedication. It shows that when the resolve of the people and the efforts of the government move forward together, social evils can be eradicated. Today, we have to move forward once again with this same unwavering commitment," she said.

Devi has urged all the states to work together to achieve the target of bringing the child marriage rate below 5 per cent by 2029. She said under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 'New India: Child Marriage Free India' is not just a resolve, it is our national heritage as this will ensure that India moves rapidly towards Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality).

Devi also administered a national pledge to end child marriage in India, in the presence of Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur. According to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, the 100-day campaign follows a structured, three-spell plan designed to energise communities and encourage sustained action.

Under Spell 1, from November 27 to December 31, awareness activities in schools, colleges, and universities, including debates, essay competitions, interactive sessions, and pledge ceremonies will be carried out, it said.

As per the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, under Spell 2, from January 1 to 31, engagement with faith leaders, community influencers, and marriage service providers to amplify messages on child rights, safety, and empowerment will be conducted. Under Spell 3, from February 1 to March 8, include mobilisation of Gram Panchayats and Municipal Wards to pass resolutions declaring their jurisdictions child-marriage-free.

This national initiative will be executed in close collaboration with the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, and Education, guaranteeing smooth cooperation and broad grassroots engagement.

What is the prevalence of child marriage in the country?

According to the National Family Health Survey - 5 (2019-21) conducted by Government of India, 23.3 per cent of girls aged between 20 and 24 were married before reaching the age of 18.

Notably, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, has been enacted to prevent and reduce child marriages, as well as to impose penalties on those involved in the solemnization of such marriages. Section 16 of the Act empowers the State government to designate an officer or officers, referred to as Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO), for the entire State or for specific areas as indicated in the notification.

Bhuwan Ribhu, child rights activist and founder of Just Rights for Children (JRC), a civil society network of over 250 NGOs across the country working closely with law enforcement on child protection, who also attended the programme, urged all stakeholders to join the national movement to end this crime against children.

"The role of community groups, faith leaders, panchayats and citizens is central to building a child-marriage-free India. The Government's Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign has become a model for the world. It also stands as a celebration of our collective work to end this crime against children," he told ETV Bharat.

He added, "Last year, more than one lakh child marriages were stopped or prevented, showing that when society comes together, change is inevitable. Next year, together we pledge to make one lakh villages child marriage free so that every child has opportunities and a secure future. This momentum matters as India moves toward the larger vision of a Viksit Bharat."

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