Supreme Court’s Landmark Ruling Fuels Child Marriage Eradication Efforts in Bihar

Chirag Gupta

Patna: Following the Supreme Court’s new guidelines to eradicate child marriage in India, the ‘Just Rights for Children’ Alliance (JRCA) in Bihar has pledged full support to the state government’s mission to make Bihar free from child marriage. Civil society organizations in Bihar, where child marriage remains prevalent, are now mobilized to work alongside the government to eliminate this practice before the 2030 target.

At a conference held in Patna, JRCA members, including the Association for Voluntary Action and Prayas JAC Society, discussed strategies to increase outreach with village authorities, raise awareness, and involve religious leaders in this critical effort. The Alliance’s support also extends to the Child Marriage Free India (CMFI) campaign, which played a significant role as a petitioner in the Supreme Court case leading to the new guidelines. This campaign operates on the ‘PICKET’ strategy — a holistic approach focused on policy, institutional collaboration, convergence, knowledge, ecosystem, and technology — which has already prevented over 120,000 child marriages across the country.

JRCA Convenor Ravi Kant emphasized the importance of ending child marriage, calling it a grave crime against children that deprives them of their rights and freedom. He affirmed the Alliance’s commitment to supporting the state government and expressed confidence that the Supreme Court’s guidelines would strengthen their resolve to eradicate child marriage in Bihar by 2030.

Mokhtarul Haque from the Association for Voluntary Action noted the significance of stakeholder collaboration, education, and community awareness, underscoring that these elements are crucial to creating a lasting ecosystem against child marriage. He believes that the recent guidelines, aligning with these objectives, will help Bihar reach a tipping point in the fight against child marriage.

The Supreme Court’s October 18 ruling, in response to a petition by CMFI coalition partners, introduced a range of measures aimed at empowering children, educating communities, and increasing accountability at all levels, including panchayats, schools, and law enforcement. The court’s directives encourage a community-driven approach to preventing child marriage and emphasize that prosecution should be used only as a last resort.