India Aims to End Child Marriage by 2030 with Civil Society Partnership
Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur announced that the government, in collaboration with civil society organisations, is working towards making India free of child marriage by 2030. She made the remarks at the inaugural session of a four-day national consultation on child rights organised by Just Rights for Children in New Delhi on Monday.
According to Ms. Thakur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made the elimination of child marriage a national priority. The government is implementing initiatives under the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign, which aims to reduce the prevalence of child marriage by 10 per cent by 2026 and achieve a complete end by 2030.
Ms. Thakur emphasised the critical role of grassroots organisations in protecting children from exploitation, trafficking, child marriage and abuse. She commended the volunteers who rescue children from sexual exploitation, calling their work 'noble'. She also praised Just Rights for Children for its contribution towards a child marriage-free India.
The consultation, titled 'Ensuring Child Rights, Potential and Prosperity', has brought together representatives from over 250 partner organisations across all 782 districts of India. The focus is on strengthening child protection systems and advancing children's rights.
Lavu Krishna Devarayalu, Convener of the MPs for Children Forum and Parliamentary Party Leader of the Telugu Desam Party in the Lok Sabha, said India's campaign against child marriage has become a model for the world. He also highlighted emerging threats to children, including risks from social media, and referred to his Private Member's Bill in Parliament seeking stronger safeguards.
Just Rights for Children founder Bhuwan Ribhu said the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign, launched in November 2024, has become a nationwide movement. He stated that over the last three years, more than 5.5 lakh child marriages have been prevented through collective action. 'Every time we stop a child marriage in a village, we send a clear message that child marriage is a crime with no place in a modern society,' he added.
