Patna, Oct 26 (PTI) Despite measures by Bihar government, it remains one of the top five states for child marriage prevalence, according to Just Rights For Children Alliance, a group of NGOs whose partners were petitioners in the case leading to the Supreme Court ruling that Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) cannot be stunted by personal laws.
During a media interaction here on Saturday, JRCA convenor Ravi Kant said, “The alliance is committed to assisting state governments in our collective effort to eliminate this heinous crime by 2030. Despite existing measures, Bihar still ranks among the top five states for child marriage. We stand firmly behind the state government in its quest to end child marriage, which robs kids of their rights and freedom..
NGO partners of JRCA, including the Association for Voluntary Action and Prayas JAC Society, met here to strategise on effectively eradicating child marriage in light of the Supreme Court’s recent guidelines.
On October 18, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that the PCMA cannot be restricted by personal laws. The apex court emphasised the importance of a holistic strategy involving sex education, child empowerment, and community engagement to address child marriage, referencing the “Just Rights for Children Alliance vs Union of India” case.
A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, asserted that marriages involving minors violate their right to choose a life partner freely.
The court emphasised the need to prioritise the protection of minors over personal or religious practices and called for multi-sectoral coordination, urging training and capacity building for law enforcement to ensure the Act’s effectiveness.
“This campaign, backed by the JRCA, has been actively working on the PICKET strategy, which aligns with the Supreme Court’s directives. The PICKET strategy stands for Policy, Institution, Collaboration or Convergence, Knowledge, Ecosystem, and Technology. Through this comprehensive approach, over 120,000 child marriages have been prevented across the country in the past year,” he said.
Echoing these sentiments, Mokhtarul Haque from the Association for Voluntary Action remarked, “We have observed that the convergence of stakeholders, along with awareness and education, are key to creating an ecosystem that prevents child marriage. While we have been working on these fronts, the Supreme Court emphasises these elements as well. With effective and timely implementation, we are confident we can reach the tipping point for ending child marriage, perhaps even before 2030.” Jitender Kumar Singh, chief coordinating officer of Prayas JAC Society, added, “This is a landmark judgment that paves the way for making India free from child marriage. The ruling establishes accountability and ensures that everyone, from local panchayats to the police, understands their role in combating this crime. We stand ready to support the state government in every possible way.” PTI PKD MNB
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