India has intensified its fight against child marriage through the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign, which aims to reduce child marriage prevalence by 10% by 2026 and make the country child marriage-free by 2030. The initiative has gained momentum after Balod district in Chhattisgarh became India’s first child marriage-free district in 2025, while Surajpur district declared 75 village panchayats as child marriage-free in September 2025. The campaign links legal enforcement, community awareness, and digital monitoring to address a long-standing social evil.
What the Campaign Seeks to Achieve
The campaign is a national mission under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It focuses on prevention, reporting, and community mobilisation. Its targets are aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 5.3, which seeks to eliminate harmful practices such as child, early, and forced marriage by 2030.
Why Child Marriage Remains a Concern
Child marriage continues to affect millions of children, especially girls, despite being prohibited by law. It increases the risk of early pregnancy, maternal health complications, domestic violence, school dropout, and intergenerational poverty. NFHS-5 showed that 23% of women aged 20–24 were married before 18. The problem remains more severe in parts of West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and several rural and tribal areas.
Legal Framework and Enforcement
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 defines a child as a girl below 18 and a boy below 21. Such marriages are voidable and, in cases involving force, trafficking, or deceit, void ab initio. The law provides for imprisonment and fines for adults who marry children, perform or promote such marriages, or abet them. Child Marriage Prohibition Officers are appointed to prevent marriages, collect evidence, and create awareness. The Supreme Court has also strengthened enforcement by directing States and Union Territories to appoint dedicated officers and create special monitoring units.
District-Level Progress in Chhattisgarh
Balod district’s achievement is because it shows that sustained local action can eliminate reported child marriages. Surajpur’s declaration of 75 child marriage-free panchayats further demonstrates the role of panchayati raj institutions, schools, health workers, and community leaders. These examples are being treated as models for wider replication under the national campaign.
Last Modified: April 25, 2026