Kolkata, September 5, 2026: India’s fight against child marriage has received a significant international boost after the United Nations (UN) adopted a resolution declaring November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage.
The date holds special significance for India as it marks the launch of the ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ campaign by the Government of India on November 27, 2024.
The global initiative was spearheaded by Bhuwan Ribhu, Founder of Just Rights for Children (JRC), who called for the creation of a dedicated international day to end child marriage. During his address at the United Nations in March 2026, Ribhu reiterated the demand for a UN resolution, receiving support from international leaders, including Dr Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone.
Subsequently, Sierra Leone, supported by 67 countries, including India, led the resolution at the UN General Assembly. The resolution was adopted on September 4, 2026. During its presentation at the UN, Dr Fatima Maada Bio also made a special mention of JRC’s contribution to the campaign.
West Bengal Records Significant Progress
Just Rights for Children, one of the world’s largest child protection networks, is leading the Child Marriage Free World campaign through legal action, accountability and community mobilisation.
In West Bengal, JRC’s 14 partner organisations are working across 23 districts with government agencies, law enforcement, schools, panchayats, women’s groups, faith leaders and communities.
According to JRC, its partners have helped prevent 33,262 child marriages in West Bengal over the past three years. Across India, the wider campaign has reportedly stopped or prevented more than 5.5 lakh child marriages.
The state has also recorded a decline in child marriage prevalence. As per the data cited in the release, the proportion of women aged 20–24 who were married before the age of 18 declined from 41.6% in NFHS-5 (2019–21) to 36.4% in NFHS-6 (2023–24). The corresponding national figure is 20.1%.
Bhuwan Ribhu Hails India’s Leadership
Welcoming the UN resolution, Bhuwan Ribhu described the development as a moment of pride for India and credited children, communities, faith leaders, NGO partners and the Government of India for driving the movement.
He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi for their leadership and commitment to ending child marriage.
Ribhu said the UN declaration represents a major turning point and urged governments worldwide to take decisive action to eliminate child marriage by 2030, while ensuring education, protection and development opportunities for every child.
Campaign Expands Globally
India’s efforts against child marriage have increasingly gained international momentum. Inspired by the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign, the Child Marriage Free Nepal campaign was launched in December 2024 through JRC’s efforts.
According to the organisation, the movement has since expanded to more than 99 countries, with over 250 million people taking pledges to help end child marriage in their communities and countries.
JRC also conducted a 100-day Child Marriage Free World campaign between December 2025 and March 2026, aimed at engaging governments across 100 countries and reaching one lakh schools.
The UN’s recognition of November 27 now places the fight against child marriage on a wider global platform, reinforcing the international commitment to eliminate child, early and forced marriage by 2030, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 5.3.
