New Delhi, 08 March (H.S.): The 'Bal Vivah Mukti Rath' campaign against child marriage culminated on International Women’s Day after traversing 28 states, covering 679,077 kilometers across 439 districts and 66,344 villages, sensitizing over 52,268,033 people with the message of a child marriage-free India.

Launched by civil society organization Just Rights for Children (JRC) to bolster the central government's 100-day intensive awareness drive, over 500 such chariots hit the roads nationwide. Equipped with posters, powerful slogans, loudspeakers, and pledge boards, these vehicles targeted remote and marginalized communities, using four-wheelers for accessible areas and motorcycle or bicycle caravans for far-flung villages, while collaborating with panchayats, district administrations, and child marriage prohibition officers.

JRC Senior Advisor (Policy) Jyoti Mathur told reporters, “This chariot is not merely a symbol but a vehicle of justice, carrying messages of law, protection, and accountability to communities, transforming government intent into tangible safety on the ground.”

She highlighted enthusiastic participation from political leaders, administrators, academics, and women survivors, particularly grassroots female leadership, expressing confidence that India will eradicate child marriage before the 2030 global deadline.

Mathur cited a recent Columbia University report affirming that child marriage constitutes rape of children, a perspective long advocated by activists. JRC, alongside partners, local administrations, enforcement agencies, community leaders, and service providers like bands, decorators, DJs, and caterers, prevented 198,628 child marriages in the past year alone.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar