Bhubaneswar : Child marriage, a pervasive form of gender-based violence, continues to threaten the rights and futures of children in India. HumaraBachpan Trust (HBT), committed to ending this practice, has successfully prevented 1,049 child marriages in Odisha to date. In alignment with its mission, HBT actively participated in the nationwide launch of the ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ (Child Marriage Free India) campaign, inaugurated today, November 27, by the Government of India at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
As a key partner of the Just Rights for Children (JRC) alliance, a national network of over 250 civil society organizations working in 400 districts, HBT spearheaded district-level inauguration events in Keonjhar and Kandhamal, alongside its ongoing collaboration with the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation to create child-marriage-free districts. Key stakeholders involved in the initiative included the District Superintendent of Police (DSP), members of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), the Child Development Project Officers (CDPO), District Child Protection Officers (DCPO), members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), representatives from Child Care Institutes (CCI), and adolescent girls.
In Kandhamal, the campaign rollout included village-level initiatives across 50 villages in five Panchayats—Raikia, Mandakia, Gochhapada, Phiringia, and Kainjhar. Similarly, Keonjhar hosted block-level events in Patana, Hatadihi, and Banaspal blocks, reaching 50 villages across 13 Gram Panchayats.
Around 4,300people in both the districts joined the efforts to eliminate child marriage, including Anganwadi workers, SHG and CBO members, PRI representatives, parents, religious leaders, and youths. The events featured candlelight rallies and oath-taking ceremonies, which fostered a strong community commitment to ending child marriage.
The campaign highlighted child marriage as a human rights issue that denies girls access to education, proper healthcare, and opportunities for a better future. These initiatives resonate with the broader vision of the ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ campaign, announced by Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi, to create a child-marriage-free India.
Through awareness, sensitization, and active community engagement, HBT continues its efforts to uphold children’s rights and build a safer, more equitable society.