Patna: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has called on the Bihar government to prioritise investment in initiatives aimed at reducing child marriage and adolescent pregnancy, highlighting the economic and social benefits of empowering young girls.
The announcement came during a workshop titled “The Case for Investment in Interventions to Reduce Adolescent Pregnancy and Child Marriage in Bihar”, held at the Vidhan Parishad Conference Hall in Patna. The event was addressed by the deputy chairperson of the Bihar Legislative Council, Ram Bachan Rai, who stressed the government’s commitment to social reform and described the eradication of these practices as essential to the state’s progress.
At the workshop, UNFPA officially released a report under the same title. It recommends three key interventions: expanding conditional cash transfer programmes, such as the Chief Minister’s Kanya Uthan Yojana, to provide ongoing support for girls; extending the Right to Education (RTE) up to 18 years and integrating life skills into formal schooling; and launching grassroots campaigns, including “Girl Friendly Gram Panchayats”, to challenge social norms around early marriage.
Policymakers and officials present welcomed the report as a roadmap for Bihar’s development. Departments including Social Welfare, Panchayati Raj, Education, and Health pledged to coordinate efforts and ensure community involvement to prevent any girl from being left behind.
Members of the Bihar Legislative Council, including Shashi Yadav, Nivedita Singh, and Sanjay Paswan, shared their perspectives on implementing these measures. Senior officials such as Bandana Preyashi, secretary of the Social Welfare Department, and Navin Kumar Singh, director of Panchayati Raj, alongside Faizan Mustafa, vice chancellor of CNLU, affirmed their support.
The workshop concluded with a collective commitment to translate the recommendations into action, aiming to secure a safer and more empowered future for girls across Bihar.
