GUWAHATI: In a move to eradicate child marriages, a comprehensive campaign was launched across 20 districts in Assam. As a part of the wider initiative titled “Child Marriage Free India”, residents across the state joined the nation-wide campaign and pledged to end this age-old practice.
Highlighting the campaign’s impact, the Kalyan Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF), one of the primary organisations behind this initiative, reported that numerous candle-light marches have been organised in various villages of Assam.
Acknowledging the proactive stance of state governments, Ravi Kant, the country head of KSCF, told the press, “It’s heartening to witness the concerted efforts to combat child marriages, infusing the campaign with fresh momentum and confidence.”
Assam’s commitment to this cause is evident with the government particularly vigilant against child marriage. This year, in two distinct crackdowns, they apprehended 3483 individuals in February followed by another 915 arrests, all implicated in child marriage-related cases.
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This national movement, steered by women activists alongside 160 civil society organisations, aims to eradicate child marriages from over 300 districts by the year 2030.
Local authorities in the state, along with various government departments, have reached out to all stakeholders to solicit their full-fledged participation in this movement. People from all walks of life – from police officers to judges, community leaders to common citizens, and even survivors of child marriages – too have rallied behind this cause.
Kant optimistically added that the unprecedented backing might pave the way for a country where children’s rights are both respected and protected.
Nationally, the statistics are alarming. The National Family Health Survey-V (NFHS 2019-21) revealed that 23.3% of women aged between 20 to 24 years were married before the age of 18. In Assam, this figure stands at a staggering 31.8%.
