Race Against Time: Will 30 Assam Districts Become India's First Child-Marriage-Free Zones?

Just Rights for Children (JRC), a network of over 250 NGOs, announced an ambitious initiative to eradicate child marriage from one lakh villages across India by next year. In Assam, the spotlight falls on 30 districts flagged by NFHS-5 for high rates, including Dhubri (over 50%) and others like South Salmara-Mankachar exceeding 40%. This move coincides with the Government of India's Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign anniversary, featuring a 100-day action plan ending March 8, 2026, backed by Assam's directives to departments.​

JRC's eight Assam partners prevented 10,114 child marriages last year, contributing to over one lakh nationwide and 4,35,205 since April 2023 via protection, prevention, and prosecution. Founder Bhuwan Ribhu credits community groups, faith leaders, and panchayats, urging collective action toward a child-marriage-free India by 2030.​

Key Highlights

Targets 30 Assam districts with rates above 40%, like Dhubri (50%+), Darrang, Nagaon​

Assam's child marriage rate at 31.8%, double national 23.3% average (NFHS-5)​

JRC prevented 10,114 cases in Assam, 1 lakh+ nationally last year​

100-day national plan: Awareness in schools, religious sites, panchayats​

Community-led: Faith leaders, panchayats key to one lakh child-free villages​

Sources: The Sentinel Assam, The Daily Pioneer​