UN Declares November 27 as International Day Against Child Marriage
The UN has declared November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, a win for India's campaign.
The United Nations has officially designated November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, marking a significant global endorsement of efforts to end the practice.
The resolution, tabled by Sierra Leone on September 4, was adopted by the UN General Assembly. The date carries special resonance for India, as it coincides with the anniversary of the government's 'Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat' campaign, launched on the same day in 2024.
Bhuwan Ribhu, founder of Just Rights for Children, proposed the resolution and was the only civil society representative invited to the UN during its adoption. He described the moment as a point of pride for India, noting that over 25 crore people had taken a pledge against child marriage on November 27, 2024. Ribhu called the declaration a "tipping point," urging governments worldwide to provide leadership to end child marriage by 2030.
The campaign has been amplified in India through a partnership between NDTV and Just Rights for Children, running since 2023. Vaishali Sood, Senior Managing Editor at NDTV, called the day "spectacular," highlighting the network's two-year commitment to reporting on the mission.
Recent national data shows progress: the NFHS-5 (2019-21) reported 23.3% of women aged 20-24 married before 18, a figure that dropped to 20.1% in NFHS-6 (2023-24). The Government of India has set a target of reducing child marriage prevalence by 10% by 2026.
The UN declaration aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 5, Target 5.3, which calls for eliminating harmful practices including child, early, and forced marriage by 2030.