The number of child marriages in India has decreased by half, from 47.4 per cent to 23.3 per cent from 2019–21. The Prevention of Child Marriage Act introduced in 2006 is a major catalyst for this shift. Despite the fact that one in five Indian girls gets married before they turn 18, the Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi claimed that almost two lakh child marriages had been avoided in the previous year.
According to recent UN reports, South Asian nations have seen the biggest dips in child marriage rates worldwide, with India playing a major role. Ms Devi made this statement during the launch of the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (child marriage-free India campaign).
The primary focus of this campaign are seven states with the highest child marriages rates —West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, Assam and Andhra Pradesh—and nearly 300 high-burden districts with rates of child marriage higher than the national average. Every State and Union Territory will be urged by the campaign to create an action plan with the goal of bringing down the rate of child marriage to below five per cent by 2029.
The key feature of the campaign is the launch of the ‘Child Marriage Free Bharat’ portal, a forum to record cases, evaluate progress, and promote awareness. With the help of the recent ruling by the Hon'ble Supreme Court and lessons learnt from the past BBBP (Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, or ‘save daughter, educate daughter’ Program), the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign seeks to unite all parties involved, raise awareness at the local level, and alter attitudes in order to put an end to child marriage. Child marriage is not an issue that can be solved with a single solution, it needs the backing of the government — right from ensuring continuity in girls' education, to skilling and absorption in the labour force, to ensuring nutritional outcomes for women, women's reproductive health and overall health, women's safety and security, including anti-trafficking, social protection, sports, and leadership, among others.
More than 150 District Collectors, representatives from local organisations, schools, panchayats, NGOs, and district governments were present during the campaign's inauguration. Additionally, more than 550,000 people took part in the pledge-taking event online. The Minister also launched the Child Marriage Free Bharat Portal as part of the campaign, which allows citizens to report child marriage incidences, lodge complaints, and find out more about Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) across the country.
Image source: United Nations, Amriy Vichar, Sanatan Prabhat