Manipur launches 100-day campaign against child marriage amid 100 reported cases

Imphal: Around 100 cases of child marriage, in violation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, leading to legal action, have been reported in Manipur.

In response to this, Manipur, on Thursday, joined the nationwide launch of the 100-day intensive campaign for "Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat," a nationwide campaign to end the social crime of child marriage by 2030.

As part of the campaign, the concerned District Commissioners of Kangpokpi, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Pherzawl (districts) administered the Pledge Against Child Marriage to participants.

Similar pledge ceremonies were held across the districts, including line departments, schools, and police stations, committing to support the movement towards a child marriage-free society.

The DCs urged the general public to collect data on the causes of child marriage in remote villages and proposed organising follow-up meetings under their chairmanship, involving departments such as Police, Social Welfare, Education, and ICDS, to make a Child-Marriage-Free state.

Manipur government officials stated that around 100 child marriage cases have been reported in the four valley districts.

There may be many cases in the hill districts, but so far, the matter has been underreported to the concerned officials. In the remote hill districts, there is a severe and lifelong impact of child marriage on girls, including loss of education, health risks, and increased vulnerability to exploitation.

Many girls continue to be married soon after puberty, forcing them into adult responsibilities far too early.

The campaign was launched by the Prime Minister on 27 November 2024 to raise awareness and eliminate child marriages across the country.