Child marriage in India is a significant social issue that affects millions of young girls and boys, despite being legally prohibited. This practice has severe consequences, including interrupted education, health risks due to early pregnancies, and limited opportunities for personal and economic growth. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006 was enacted to address the shortcomings of the earlier Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. Efforts to eliminate child marriage are crucial for empowering young girls, ensuring their health and well-being, and promoting gender equality. Legal frameworks, awareness campaigns and community engagement are essential in eradicating this practice and fostering a society where every child can thrive. Child marriage is a violation of a child’s right to grow, learn, and choose their future. Despite being illegal, 23% of women aged 20–24 in India were married before 18 (NFHS-5, 2019–21). It exposes children, especially girls, to early pregnancies, health risks, violence, and lifelong inequality. To address this, the Government of India launched Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat (Child Marriage Free India) on 27 November 2024, aiming to reduce child marriage by 10% by 2026 and make India child-marriage-free by 2030, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.3. Objectives of the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign Monitoring Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign: Advocate for legislative changes that establish 18 as the minimum age of marriage without exceptions, ensuring legal protections for children. Ensure effective monitoring of CMPOs appointed: Strengthen the supervision and evaluation of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) to guarantee their active role in preventing child marriages and supporting affected individuals. Enhance public access to details of CMPOs: Increase transparency and accessibility by making comprehensive information about Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) available to the public, facilitating better communication and support. Easier Reporting child marriage Cases: Simplify the process of reporting child marriage cases by implementing user-friendly mechanisms that encourage victims and witnesses to come forward and seek justice. Awareness Generation against child marriage: Conduct extensive awareness campaigns to educate communities about the adverse effects of child marriage and to promote the importance of protecting children’s rights and futures Legal provisions to prevent Child Marriage Under Indian law, any marriage involving a girl below 18 years or a boy below 21 years is illegal under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006. The Act provides strong legal safeguards to prevent and respond to child marriage. Salient features of the Act include: Defines a child as a female below 18 years and a male below 21 years Declares child marriages voidable at the option of the child, with the right to approach the District Court within two years of attaining majority Declares child marriages void ab initio in cases involving force, trafficking, deceit, or immoral purposes Makes offences cognizable and non-bailable Prescribes punishment of up to two years of rigorous imprisonment and/or a fine up to ₹1 lakh for adult males marrying children and for those who solemnise, abet, promote, or permit child marriages Provides for the appointment of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) to prevent marriages, conduct awareness, collect evidence, and rescue children Empowers Magistrates to issue injunctions to prevent imminent child marriages, violation of which renders the marriage void. Further strengthening child protection, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the POCSO Act, 2012 recognise sexual relations with a child bride as rape. In October 2024, the Supreme Court of India issued landmark directions mandating full-time CMPOs, banning child betrothals, strengthening multi-sectoral awareness, and shifting focus from punishment to prevention, protection, and empowerment. Campaign overview Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat builds on decades of reform—from the Sarda Act of 1929 to initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao—but introduces a technology-enabled, community-driven approach. It prioritises 257 high-burden districts, ensures convergence across education, health, police, judiciary, and local governance, and empowers citizens through the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Portal for real-time reporting and transparency. A nationwide 100-day intensive campaign, launched on 4 December 2025, mobilised schools, villages, Panchayats, NGOs, and youth through awareness drives and national pledge-taking ceremonies. To encourage leadership and accountability, the initiative recognises excellence through Child Marriage-Free Village Certificates and the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Yodha Award for top-performing districts. The impact is already visible. Balod district in Chhattisgarh became India’s first child-marriage-free district, reporting zero cases for two consecutive years, while Surajpur district declared 75 Child Marriage-Free Panchayats in September 2025. These successes, supported by partners like UNICEF, prove that when communities come together, harmful practices can end. How to Report a Child Marriage If you know a child marriage is being planned or has taken place, you can file a complaint with: Child Marriage Prohibition Officer (CMPO) District Magistrate Contact Nearest Police Station District Child Protection Unit (OCPU) ASHA Unit of District Legal Services Authority Bal vivah mukt bharat portal Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat is not just about stopping a marriage—it is about saving a childhood. It is a collective promise to ensure every child in India grows up safe, educated, and free to dream, building a stronger and more equitable Viksit Bharat.