2 lakh child marriages prevented during past year but 1 in 5 girls still wed below legal age: WCD Minister Annapurna Devi

The Bal-Vivah Mukht Bharat Abhiyan volition absorption connected the 7 high-burden states – West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh – and astir 300 high-burden districts wherever kid matrimony rates are precocious arsenic compared to the nationalist average.

“Child matrimony is simply a important situation earlier america and is simply a signifier that limits the imaginable of millions of girls. In our state today, 1 successful each 5 girls is joined earlier the property of 18. Child matrimony is 1 of the astir terrible forms of quality rights violations and is besides a transgression discourtesy nether the law,” Devi said.

She added that portion laws similar the Prevention of Child Marriage Act are instrumental, “we indispensable besides absorption connected raising consciousness due to the fact that authorities unsocial cannot eradicate this issue”.

Highlighting the advancement India has made, she noted that the state has been a important contributor to the crisp planetary diminution successful kid matrimony rates observed successful South Asia.

“Figures besides uncover that astir 2 lakh kid marriages person been prevented successful a azygous year. Additionally, a United Nations study states that the astir important planetary diminution successful kid matrimony rates has been observed successful South Asian countries, with India playing a important relation successful this achievement,” she said.

The Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat run seeks to prosecute aggregate stakeholders successful a corporate effort to destruct kid marriage.
A cardinal diagnostic of the inaugural is the motorboat of the Child Marriage Free Bharat portal, a level to rise awareness, study cases, and show progress.

The run besides aligns with the imaginativeness of a developed India by 2047, Devi said, emphasizing the request for afloat information of women and girls successful nation-building.

The curate highlighted the government’s initiatives to empower girls done education, fiscal security, and wellness measures. She credited schemes similar Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Samagra Shiksha, and the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana for improving girls’ entree to acquisition and ensuring their fiscal future.

“With the instauration of the National Education Policy, 2020, and scholarships for disadvantaged groups, we are creating opportunities for girls to recognize their potential,” she said. Acknowledging that taste norms perpetuate kid marriage, the curate emphasized a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.” Programs similar Nari Adalats, gender-inclusive connection guides, and safe-city projects nether the Nirbhaya Fund purpose to code patriarchal attitudes and guarantee the information and information of women and girls.

“Patriarchal norms proceed to airs challenges, but interventions similar Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao person proven effectual successful shifting societal mindsets. With accordant efforts, we tin make an enabling situation for our girls,” she said.

Despite the progress, the curate cautioned that determination is nary country for complacency. “We cannot halt until India is wholly escaped of kid marriages,” she said, calling for progressive information from citizens.

“I impulse everyone to instrumentality a pledge to guarantee nary kid matrimony takes spot successful their community. Together, we tin execute this imaginativeness of a developed and equitable India,” she said.