Bal Vivah Mukti Rath Drives Awareness Against Child Marriage in Kangpokpi District

The “Bal Vivah Mukti Rath” campaign concluded successfully in Kangpokpi district after a 100-day intensive awareness drive aimed at eliminating child marriage. The campaign, launched under the initiative of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, travelled across villages and towns of the district spreading awareness about the harmful impacts and legal consequences of child marriage.

The awareness drive was implemented by the Integrated Rural Management Association (IRMA), an NGO partner of Just Rights for Children, a national network of over 250 organisations working towards child protection and child rights.

The campaign was formally flagged off by Lamminlal Simte, ADC Kangpokpi. Over a period of 30 days, the Bal Vivah Mukti Rath covered approximately 230 kilometres, reaching 45 villages and connecting around 15,000 people to the message of ending child marriage.

The initiative forms part of the nationwide 100-Day Intensive Awareness Campaign announced on 4 December 2025, marking one year of the “Child Marriage Free India” campaign. As part of the programme, Bal Vivah Mukti Rath journeys were organised in 439 districts across the country to sensitise communities about the social, health, educational, and legal consequences of child marriage.

While the Rath travelled through major roads and accessible areas, motorcycle and bicycle caravansreached remote and difficult-to-access villages to ensure that the campaign’s message reached the last mile.

Speaking on the occasion, T. Lamjaneng Haokip, Director of IRMA, described the campaign as transformative. She stated that the Rath was not merely symbolic but carried a powerful message of change that was widely accepted by communities

“Today, much of the civilised world recognises that child marriage is not merely a social evil but child rape under the guise of marriage. It is a crime punishable by law. Child marriage destroys the opportunities for a girl child to flourish and pushes her into cycles of malnutrition, illiteracy and poverty,” she said.

Haokip further emphasised that the campaign evolved into a people’s movement with the support of the government, local administration and elected representatives. Community participation played a crucial role in strengthening the resolve to end child marriage and protect children’s rights.

The campaign was conducted in three phases. The first phase focused on engaging educational institutions and students. In the second phase, religious leaders were requested to verify the age of the bride and groom before solemnising marriages and to refuse to conduct child marriages. Service providers associated with weddings—such as caterers, decorators, banquet hall owners, band players, and horse providers—were also urged not to assist in child marriages, as doing so could invite legal consequences.

The final phase involved awareness programmes in panchayats, where community members were informed about the legal provisions related to child marriage and were administered pledges to oppose the practice.

Organisers expressed optimism that with continued community participation and awareness, the goal of making Kangpokpi a Child Marriage Free District can soon become a reality.