Guwahati: Assam has witnessed a significant drop in child marriages, outperforming the national average, according to a survey conducted by a non-governmental organisation across five states.
The report, covering the period from April 2022 to March 2025, found that legal deterrents—such as police complaints and arrests—were among the most effective measures in curbing child marriage.
The report titled “Tipping Point to Zero: Evidence Towards a Child Marriage Free India”—prepared by the Centre for Legal Action and Behaviour Change for Children (C-LAB), an initiative of the NGO Just Rights for Children (JRC) partner India Child Protection—was recently released at a side event during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The report notes that at the national level, child marriages declined by 69 per cent among girls and 72 per cent among boys.
In terms of decline in child marriages among girls in 5 surveyed states, Assam is followed by Maharashtra and Bihar (70 per cent each), Rajasthan (66 per cent), and Karnataka (55 per cent).
The study attributes Assam’s remarkable progress to the State government’s ‘zero tolerance’ approach, strict legal action, and coordinated efforts with the Central government and civil society organisations.
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Acknowledging Assam’s remarkable progress in reducing child marriages, JRC announced the ‘Champions of Change’ Award for Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
