Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi inaugurated the “Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign,” or child marriage-free India campaign webpage, on Wednesday to “help girls achieve their potential” by preventing practices like child marriage.
“Ten years ago, the government started Beti Bachao Beti Padhao [Save Girls, Educate Girls] to improve social conceptions about the girl child. This progress demonstrates our collective shift in views toward prioritizing the girl child. The next stage is to pave the path for her to achieve all her dreams, and not let practices such as child marriage hinder her potential growth,” said Devi at the launch of the portal.
Devi said India has been recognised globally for its efforts to check child marriages. She cited UN reports showing South Asia as the region with the largest decline in child marriage driven largely by India.
Child marriages remain widespread in parts of India. The anti-child marriage campaign will focus on seven high-burden states—West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh—and 300 districts where their rates are above the national average. The aim is to reduce child marriage prevalence to below 5% by 2029. Child marriage rates dropped from 47.4% in 2006 to 23.3% in 2019-21, according to government data.
The “Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign” seeks legislative changes to ensure 18 as the minimum age of marriage without exceptions and providing legal protection for children. The portal is designed to facilitate effective monitoring of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) by strengthening supervision and evaluation mechanisms to ensure their active role in preventing child marriages and supporting affected individuals. It seeks to enhance public access to information, making it easily available to enable better communication and support.
The portal aims to simplify the process of reporting child marriages by introducing user-friendly mechanisms to encourage reporting by victims and witnesses.
Devi spoke about a multi-pronged approach to tackling the issue, involving education, health, financial security, safety, and social awareness. Initiatives like the National Education Policy and “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” were being used to address the root causes and consequences of child marriages.
Devi credited the media with helping take the message of “Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat” to India’s remotest corners. “Citizens are encouraged to pledge to stop child marriage, ensure it does not take place in their communities, and report cases to local authorities.”
The government is also working through initiatives such as Nari Adalats (courts for women) and a Guide on Gender-Inclusive Communication to address gender biases in language. Devi said the campaign is part of the broader vision of creating a developed India by 2047, with girls playing a central role in women-led development.
The Supreme Court in October said the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act cannot be limited by personal laws while acknowledging the gaps in law. It called for a community-driven approach, customized preventive measures, multi-sectoral coordination, and capacity building for law enforcement to address the issue effectively.
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Source: HT
