Assam Government Intensifies Efforts To Combat Child Marriages

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Posted in Assam, Featured, Northeast
NET Web Desk

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that his government will continue its stringent efforts to combat child marriages, with special drives to be conducted every six months. The move follows a recent NGO report highlighting a decline in child marriage cases due to government actions.

The CM also informed that the Director General of Police (DGP) has been instructed to conduct a preliminary survey for the next crackdown on child marriages, scheduled for November-December this year.

The Chief Minister noted that while initial resistance to the crackdown was encountered, particularly in minority areas, the campaign has garnered increasing public support.

Sarma referred to data from the India Child Protection (ICP) report, stating it is a testament to the state’s efforts in empowering women. The report, based on National Crime Record Bureau data and a survey of 1,132 villages in 20 districts, indicates that 30% of these areas have completely eradicated child marriage, while 40% have seen a significant decline.

Sharing the report on social media, Sarma wrote in his X handle, “This exceptional report by @IndiaCPOrg is a shining testament to our sustained efforts in empowering Nari Shakti. With over 3,000 arrests, our zero-tolerance approach has led to an 81% decline in child marriages since 2021. We will not rest until we eliminate this social evil.”

The ICP report, ‘Towards Justice: Ending Child Marriage,’ was released in New Delhi on World Day for International Justice. It emphasizes an 81% reduction in child marriage instances across Assam’s 20 districts between 2021-22 and 2023-24, attributing this decline to the state government’s legal interventions.

Child Marriage Free India, which includes ICP, is a nationwide campaign launched in 2022, partnering with nearly 200 NGOs across the country to eradicate child marriage.

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