Udaipur’s First Girl Saved from Child Marriage under “Child Marriage-Free India” Campaign

Udaipur: In the Ala Ki Dhani area under the Kurabad Panchayat Samiti of Udaipur district, the child marriage of a minor girl was successfully stopped in time. The intervention was carried out under the ongoing Child Marriage-Free India Campaign, based on information received by Gayatri Seva Sansthan and in coordination with the district administration and the Just Rights for Children Alliance.

Child rights expert and former member of the Rajasthan State Commission for Children, Dr. Shailendra Pandya, explained that organizing, facilitating, or participating in a child marriage is a punishable offense under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. He emphasized that the success of the campaign requires collective efforts from religious leaders, elected representatives, and the general public to eliminate this social evil.

The girl in the stopped marriage was found to be 16 years old, below the legally prescribed minimum age for marriage. Upon receiving the information, the team immediately reached the site and educated the family about the legal provisions and harmful consequences of child marriage, which led to the marriage being halted.

Present during the intervention were Patwari Devendra Singh Rajput, former Sarpanch Laxman Prajapat, representatives from Gayatri Seva Sansthan including Vivek Paliwal, and members of the Just Rights for Children team.

The team also explained to the family that child marriage is a legal offense and can have severe impacts on the health, education, and future of girls. They stressed that preventing child marriage is a collective societal responsibility.