Bal Vivah Mukht Bharat Abhiyan

• 02 Dec 2024

Source: PIB 

Why in News?

Recently, the Ministry of Women and Child Development  launched the Bal Vivah Mukht Bharat Abhiyan, a national campaign aimed at eradicating child marriage in India.  

• The campaign aligns with India’s commitment to gender equality and the broader vision of a developed nation (Viksit Bharat) by 2047. 

What are the Key Highlights of the Bal Vivah Mukht Bharat Abhiyan? 

• Child Marriage Free Bharat Portal: An innovative online platform that allows citizens to report child marriage incidents, file complaints, and access information about Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) across the nation. 
  • The launch coincides with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, a global movement running from 25th November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10th December (Human Rights Day). 
    • CMPOs prevent child marriages, collect prosecution evidence, counsel against such marriages, raise awareness of their harmful effects, and sensitize communities. 
• Pledge Against Child Marriage: This campaign aims to eliminate child marriage and empower every daughter in the nation, highlighting its profound significance in fostering a fair and just society. 
  • The campaign will target states with higher-than-average child marriage rates namely West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh. 
• Acknowledging Achievements:  
  • During the launch of the campaign, the Minister highlighted the significant strides made in the empowerment of women, citing the improvement in the sex ratio at birth from 918 in 2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24.  
  • The portal is a significant step in empowering citizens and enforcing the  Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006,  
    • Under this act, marriages involving girls under 18 and boys under 21 are strictly prohibited. 
• Significance: 
  • Support for Girls' Education and Empowerment: Aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, this campaign reflects ongoing government efforts to promote gender equality through initiatives supporting girls' education and social empowerment. 
  • Eradication of Child Marriage: The campaign acknowledged the significant role of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana in raising awareness. 

What are the Legislative Framework Related to Child Marriage in India? 

• Legislative Framework: India enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act in 2006, establishing the legal age for marriage at 21 for men and 18 for women. 
  • Section 16 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act allows State Governments to appoint 'Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO)' for specific areas. 
  • Government has introduced a bill namely 'the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for raising the age of marriage of women to 21 years to make it at par with the men.  The Bill ultimately lapsed with the dissolution of the 17^th Lok Sabha.
• Laws Related: 
  • POCSO Act: The men who married girls below 14 years of age would be booked under the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and those marrying girls between the age of 14 and 18 years would be booked under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q. With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, consider the following: (2010)

1. The Right to Development 
2. The Right to Expression 
3. The Right to Recreation 

Which of the above is/are the Rights of the child?

(a) 1 only 

(b) 1 and 3 only  

(c) 2 and 3 only  

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (d)