SOS Children’s Villages India contributes to Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign by educating its programme participants on the evil of child marriage

 Mumbai, 18^th December 2025: In a bid to advocate in favour of the ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ Campaign launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, SOS Children’s Villages India drove an awareness campaign across its Village locations, on prevention of child marriage.

The objective of this nation-wide campaign was to strengthen community understanding of child marriage prevention and highlight the importance of protecting children’s rights. Community members were sensitised about the legal minimum age for marriage 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys. The session emphasised that marrying at the appropriate age supports better physical and mental well-being, enables children to enjoy their childhood, continue their education, and grow into confident and self-reliant individuals. At the end of the sessions, all participants took an oath to prevent child marriage. These sessions were conducted as a collaborative effort by the Family Strengthening Programme, Family Like Care Programme, and the Kinship Care Programme.

Sumanta Kar, CEO, SOS Children’s Villages India said, “Children across our various programme locations participated in the awareness drive aimed at eradicating child marriage in India, in line with the Central Government’s ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ Campaign. The role of education here is immense. Parents, community members, and stakeholders should come forward with equal zest to ensure that the correct messaging reaches the children. We should all join hands to champion children’s rights and well-being and report any case of child marriage to the authorities.”

More than 150 participants attended the session in Guwahati, seeing the highest participation across all locations. Alibaug saw 52 female participants take part in the awareness campaign, followed by an awareness activity. A capacity-building programme was implemented at Varanasi with 45 participants, while the Bhopal session brought together 40 girls from the SOS Children’s Village along with 10 girls from the Family Strengthening Programme and 10 girls from the Kinship Care Programme. 28 children actively participated in the awareness drive held at the Greenfields, Faridabad Village.

The session in Guwahati was supported by the Child Protection Unit in Amingaon and conducted by the District Child Protection Officer and Coordinator, with the presence of Mr. Amar Jyoti Sarma, State Director, Family Like Care Programme. In Varanasi, the event facilitated by DCPO Ms. Nirupama Singh and Village Pradhan Mr. Manoj Yadav focused on the legal framework of child marriage, its consequences, and early warning signs, followed by the preparation of awareness charts and a rally across Daniyalpur and Dubkiya. In Bhopal, the session was attended by officers from the Piplani Police Station, who explained legal provisions, safety guidelines, and real-life cases, along with a one-act play that encouraged open dialogue. The Greenfields session in Faridabad, facilitated by Child Protection Officer Ms. Komal Choudhary, created space for children to understand protection-related issues, while in Bawana, powerful nukkad natak performances were conducted with support from the Sambhavna Arts & Culture team, sparking meaningful community conversations about ending child marriage and safeguarding children’s rights. In Visakhapatnam, the event was attended by Mr. Harikrishna, District Child Protection Officer, who joined as the chief guest along with his team.