SOS Children’s Villages India rallies communities nationwide to support ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ campaign

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 18, 2025

Reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding children’s rights, SOS Children’s Villages India has launched a nationwide awareness drive across its Village locations in support of the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ Campaign. The initiative focused on educating programme participants and community members about the harmful impact of child marriage and the importance of preventing the practice.

The campaign aimed to deepen community understanding of child marriage prevention while highlighting the legal minimum age of marriage — 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys. Through interactive sessions, participants were sensitised to how marrying at the right age supports better physical and mental well-being, allows children to enjoy their childhood, continue their education and grow into confident, self-reliant individuals. At the conclusion of each session, participants took a collective oath to prevent child marriage. The awareness activities were carried out collaboratively under the Family Strengthening Programme, Family Like Care Programme and Kinship Care Programme of SOS Children’s Villages India.

Speaking on the initiative, Sumanta Kar, CEO, SOS Children’s Villages India, said that children across multiple programme locations actively participated in the drive to eradicate child marriage in alignment with the Government of India’s vision. He underlined the crucial role of education and called upon parents, community members and stakeholders to ensure that the right messages reach children, urging everyone to report cases of child marriage to the authorities and jointly champion children’s rights and well-being.

The campaign witnessed strong participation across locations, with Guwahati recording the highest turnout of over 150 participants. In Alibaug, 52 women took part in the awareness session, while Varanasi hosted a capacity-building programme attended by 45 participants. The Bhopal session brought together 60 girls from SOS Children’s Village, Family Strengthening Programme and Kinship Care Programme, and 28 children actively engaged in the awareness drive at the Greenfields Village in Faridabad.

Several sessions were supported by district child protection authorities and local stakeholders, adding depth and credibility to the outreach. In Guwahati, the programme was conducted with the support of the Child Protection Unit in Amingaon and led by the District Child Protection Officer and Coordinator, in the presence of Amar Jyoti Sarma, State Director, Family Like Care Programme. Varanasi witnessed focused discussions on the legal framework, consequences and early warning signs of child marriage, followed by the preparation of awareness charts and a rally across nearby villages. In Bhopal, police officials shared legal provisions and real-life cases, complemented by a one-act play that encouraged open dialogue. Faridabad sessions provided a safe space for children to understand protection-related issues, while Bawana saw impactful nukkad natak (street play) performances supported by the Sambhavna Arts & Culture team, sparking meaningful community conversations. In Visakhapatnam, the programme was attended by District Child Protection Officer Harikrishna as chief guest along with his team.