International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage

Why in News?

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution on 4 September 2026 establishing 27 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage. The resolution was adopted by consensus by the 193-member UN General Assembly. It was championed by Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone and President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD). The new international observance will provide an annual platform for awareness, prevention and stronger policy action against child, early and forced marriage.

What is Child Marriage?

Child marriage refers to any formal marriage or informal union involving a person below 18 years of age. Early marriage generally refers to marriage occurring at a young age, while forced marriage refers to a marriage entered into without the full and free consent of one or both parties. Child marriage is recognised as a human rights violation and can affect education, health, economic opportunities and personal autonomy.

Global Context

According to UNFPA, approximately 640 million girls and women alive today were married during childhood. Around 12 million girls are married before the age of 18 every year. The practice remains a major challenge to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5, which seeks to achieve gender equality and eliminate harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage.

India and Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat

India launched the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign on 27 November 2024. The date is therefore significant for India because the national campaign’s launch date now coincides with the newly established UN international day. The campaign seeks to mobilise governments, communities and citizens to eliminate child marriage.

NFHS-6 Data

According to NFHS-6 (2023–24), the proportion of women aged 20–24 years who were married before age 18 declined to 20.1%, compared with 23.3% in NFHS-5 (2019–21). Despite this improvement, roughly one in five young women still experienced marriage before the age of 18.

Legal Framework in India

The principal Indian legislation dealing with child marriage is the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The Act provides a legal framework for preventing child marriages and addressing those involved in facilitating or solemnising such marriages.

Significance

The new UN observance strengthens international attention on child marriage and encourages governments, civil society and communities to accelerate prevention and protection measures. It also connects global efforts with existing national initiatives, including India’s Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign.

International Day for the Elimination of Child: Important Facts for Exams