Assam intensifies crackdown on child marriage, nearly 2,000 arrested

Assam’s renewed push to eradicate child marriage has begun to show its impact, with nearly 2,000 people arrested in connection with child marriage–related cases, speakers said at a media conference organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Guwahati, on January 19.

The conference, titled ‘Vartalap’, was organised in association with the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR), North Eastern Regional Centre, and focused on the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign and Assam’s transformative efforts towards becoming child marriage free.

Speaking on the theme Child Marriage–Free India and Assam, child rights practitioner and activist Miguel Das Queah said that despite multiple legal safeguards and government initiatives, child marriage continues to pose a serious challenge across the country. He highlighted that the practice gravely affects children’s education, health and overall development, particularly that of girls.

Referring to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, Queah pointed to gaps in implementation and lack of awareness at the grassroots level. To bridge these gaps, he said the Government of India launched the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign in 2024, with a target of reducing child marriage cases by 10 per cent by 2026 and achieving complete elimination by 2030. He stressed the importance of sustained awareness drives starting from the panchayat level and greater involvement of civil society organisations.

Highlighting Assam’s firm stand, senior advocate of the Gauhati High Court Seema Bhuyan said the arrest of nearly 2,000 accused reflects the state government’s zero-tolerance approach towards child marriage. She also underscored the role of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in safeguarding children’s rights and dignity.

Bhuyan urged media professionals to report child-related cases with sensitivity and reiterated that the identity of children must be strictly protected in line with legal and ethical norms.

The discussions underscored the vital role of the media in raising awareness, shaping public opinion and strengthening collective efforts to make India and Assam free from child marriage.