'Reaching The Unreached': 'Bal Vivah Mukti Rath' Strengthens Nationwide Anti-Child Marriage Push
The WCD Ministry's special campaign to eradicate child marriage across the country, is set to conclude on March 8.
Published : February 11, 2026 at 4:50 PM IST
New Delhi: The 'Bal Vivah Mukti Rath', meant to give a boost to the Central government's 100-day intensive nationwide campaign to end child marriage, is now in its final phase.
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development's 100-day campaign to eradicate child marriage is being implemented across various states and Union Territories (UTs) and is set to conclude on March 8.
The 'Bal Vivah Mukti Rath', an initiative from the largest network advocating for children's rights in India, is disseminating the message of a 'Child Marriage Free India' to the most remote areas, ensuring that even the most vulnerable children are reached and safeguarded. This vehicle of change is currently traversing 439 districts across 25 states and UTs.
In India, despite being legally prohibited, child marriage continues to be a significant social issue, affecting millions of young girls and boys across the nation. The practice exposes young girls to significant health risks, particularly due to early pregnancies, heightens their susceptibility to domestic violence, and sustains cycles of poverty and gender inequality.
Despite advancements, 23 per cent of women aged 20–24 were married before reaching the age of 18 (National Family Health Survey-5, 2019–21), as reported by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development. The ministry has been concentrating on 257 high-burden districts identified through NFHS-5 data (districts where the rate of child marriage meets or surpasses the national average). The goal is to eliminate child marriage by 2030.
Special features of the 'Bal Vivah Mukti Rath'
The 'Bal Vivah Mukti Rath' is equipped with impactful slogans displayed as posters and broadcasted via loudspeakers, along with a pledge-signing board. Its design aims at reaching the most isolated and marginalized communities along its route. While four-wheel vehicles navigate areas with major roads and better accessibility, the most remote villages, which suffer from poor connectivity, are accessed through motorcycle or cycle caravans throughout the state, as reported by Just Rights for Children, a network of over 250 organizations dedicated to child protection across India.
Throughout its journey, panchayats, district administrations, Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs), and other government officials are actively engaged to connect with communities for awareness and pledge initiatives. The journey, culminating on International Women’s Day, will encompass schools, gram sabhas, religious institutions, and historical sites, disseminating its message through nukkad nataks, cultural programs, and stories from survivors.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai recently inaugurated the 'Bal Vivah Mukti Rath' from his hometown-Jashpur. The rath, embellished with a pledge wall and awareness messages against child marriage, is set to traverse villages and towns across the state until March 8. Similarly, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also launched a similar rath in his own state.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Bidhan Chandra Singh, the national convenor of Child Marriage Free India, which is part of the global initiative to eradicate child marriage, said, "This 100-day intensive campaign aimed at eliminating child marriage exemplifies a distinctive ‘whole-of-government and whole-of-society’ strategy."
"The ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ serves as a catalyst for change, disseminating the message of a ‘Child Marriage Free India’ to the most remote areas, ensuring that even the most vulnerable children in isolated villages are reached and safeguarded. Today, with Just Rights for Children’s efforts, robust government initiatives and dedication, along with the swift actions of law enforcement agencies, we can assert with pride and confidence that child marriage in India is diminishing at an extraordinary rate," he remarked.
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