India Sets Example: 400,000 Child Marriages Prevented in 2 Years
India has set a powerful global example by preventing over 400,000 child marriages in just two years. According to the report "Tipping Point to Zero: Evidence Towards a Child Marriage Free India" released during the United Nations General Assembly event under the Just Rights for Children initiative, this achievement marks a major milestone in the fight against child marriage.
In 2023, the UN Secretary-General remarked that at the current global pace, it would take 300 years to eliminate the practice of child marriage. India, which accounts for about one-third of the world’s child marriages, is reversing the trend significantly.
In 2023, authorities identified 257 high-risk districts where child marriage rates exceeded 23%. A total of 270 organizations were mobilized, each assigned 50 villages with a goal to prevent at least six child marriages. Evidence of these interventions was uploaded to a centralized portal. As of September 25, 2025, the number of prevented child marriages reached 400,742.
Public Awareness & Reporting:
- 96% of people now feel comfortable reporting child marriage cases.
- 63% are very comfortable reporting child marriages.
- 33% feel moderately comfortable reporting such incidents.
Additional Statistics from India (2023–24):
- Approx. 73,501 child marriages were stopped due to civil society efforts, panchayats, and legal action.
- Of these, 59,364 were stopped with the help of local panchayats.
- Approx. 14,137 were prevented through legal interventions.
According to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), more than 1.15 million children in 27 states and 7 union territories are at high risk of child marriage. The highest number is reported from Uttar Pradesh.
As per NCRB data (2022), 3,563 cases related to child marriage were registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. However, only 181 cases reached final prosecution stages.
Historically, India's child marriage rate has declined steadily. Between 1990 and 2005, the annual reduction rate was approx. 1%. Over the past decade, the decline has accelerated to about 2% per year, according to UNICEF and other organizations.