New Delhi, December 18, 2025: SOS Children’s Villages India has contributed to the Government of India’s ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ campaign by conducting a nationwide awareness initiative across its Village locations, focusing on the prevention of child marriage. The campaign aligns with the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s efforts to eliminate child marriage and strengthen the protection of children’s rights.
The awareness sessions aimed to build community understanding around the legal, social, and developmental implications of child marriage. Participants were sensitised about the legal minimum age of marriage—18 years for girls and 21 years for boys—and the importance of allowing children to complete their education and develop physically and mentally before marriage. At the conclusion of each session, participants took an oath committing to prevent child marriage in their communities. The sessions were jointly conducted under SOS Children’s Villages India’s Family Strengthening Programme, Family Like Care Programme, and Kinship Care Programme.
Commenting on the initiative, 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.”
The campaign witnessed participation across multiple locations. Guwahati recorded the highest turnout with more than 150 participants, while Alibaug saw 52 women take part in the sessions. In Varanasi, a capacity-building programme engaged 45 participants, and in Bhopal, the session brought together girls from the SOS Children’s Village as well as the Family Strengthening and Kinship Care Programmes. In Faridabad’s Greenfields Village, 28 children actively participated in the awareness drive.
Several sessions were supported by local authorities and child protection officials. In Guwahati, the programme was supported by the Child Protection Unit in Amingaon and conducted by the District Child Protection Officer and Coordinator. In Varanasi, discussions focused on the legal framework and early warning signs of child marriage, followed by a community rally. The Bhopal session included inputs from police officials and featured a one-act play to encourage dialogue. In Faridabad and Bawana, interactive sessions and street plays were organised to engage children and community members, while in Visakhapatnam, the District Child Protection Officer participated as chief guest.
Through these coordinated efforts, SOS Children’s Villages India reinforced its commitment to child protection and community sensitisation, contributing to the broader national goal of making India free from child marriage.
x
.jpg)
