Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyan
Context:
The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched a 100-Day Intensive Awareness Campaign on December 4, 2025, to mark the first anniversary of the 'Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat' campaign.
The initiative aims to galvanize collective action to end child marriage in India.
Key Highlights:
The 100-day campaign follows a structured three-spell plan designed to energize communities.
It features a National Pledge to End Child Marriage and showcases testimonies from frontline champions.
The campaign aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (specifically the target to eliminate child marriage by 2030)
Status and Statistics:
The prevalence of child marriage has reduced significantly from 47.4% in 2005-06 (NFHS-3) to 23.3% in 2019-21 (NFHS-5).
Despite the drop, 259 districts still report child marriage rates higher than the national average.
High-prevalence states include West Bengal, Bihar, and Tripura, followed by Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh
Drivers of Child Marriage:
Poverty is the main reason
40% of girls from the lowest wealth quintile marry before 18, compared to just 8% from the highest quintile.
The second one is Education
48% of girls with no education are married as minors, versus only 4% of those with higher education.
Legal and Institutional Framework:
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006 is the central legislation.
States designate Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) at various levels (district to gram panchayat).
While reporting has increased due to awareness (1,002 cases in 2022), conviction rates remain a challenge.