Conclusion of 100 Days of Intensive Action for a Child Marriage Free India

The Bal Vivah Mukti Rath, Just Rights for Children (JRC) 's campaign on wheels, concluded its historic journey across 28 states on International Women's Day. It conducted awareness and sensitisation activities and mobilised different sections of communities for eradicating child marriage.

JRC launched the Bal Vivah Mukti Rath for the intensification of awareness efforts under the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s 100 Day Intensive Awareness Campaign and marked the year of the historic Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat initiative. Together, they are working to reduce the rate of child marriage to less than 10% by 2026 so that it ends by 2030.

Over 500 Bal Vivah Mukti Rath vehicles reached India's most remote villages and urban centres. Community members, government officials, students, and local leaders came together in a whole-of-society approach, spreading the message that it is essential to enforce the law, ensure protection of children, and build accountability in communities where child marriage remains a lived reality. The campaign mobilised 5.67 crore people through 2,80,195 activities, including rallies, street plays, pledge ceremonies, and cultural programmes across 69,174 villages and 439 districts, covering 6,89,093 kilometres.

According to C-LAB's 2025 report, child marriage has declined significantly from 23.3% to 12% over the last three years across 757 villages in 15 districts of five states: Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. This sharp and sustained decline shows what coordinated effort can achieve. It is crucial to build on this momentum.

The campaign covered 40,113 schools, colleges, and universities and engaged 50.26 lakh students and teachers. With the help of JRC partners, the campaign is building a generation that refuses to normalise child marriage. Beyond classrooms, 24,123 Gram Sabha events ensured communities themselves became accountable. 45,259 faith leaders participated in the campaign, and 28,172 religious places opened their doors to the campaign. This reinforced the message that child marriage is a legal and moral imperative.

The campaign saw unprecedented political participation. Leaders from across ideologies came together to support the campaign in their constituencies. This included nine union ministers, two Chief Ministers of state, three Deputy CMs, 51 state ministers, and six speakers/deputy speakers. 

Additionally, 104 Members of Parliament, 156 Members of Legislative Assembly, and 405 District Magistrates, Chief Judicial Magistrate, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and other government authorities, also participated in the campaign.

Road Ahead

Just Rights for Children's network of over 250 partner organisations has collectively stopped and prevented 5,31,886 child marriages between April 2023 and April 2026. The Bal Vivah Mukti Rath was a culmination of this collective resolve. Politicians, women survivors, civil society organisations, police personnel and faith leaders came together, cutting across political parties, ideologies, social backgrounds and religions.

India has committed to eliminating child marriage by 2030. This campaign showed that when government, civil society, religious institutions, and communities move together, the goal is within reach.