UN declares Nov 27 as ‘International Day For Elimination Of Child Marriage’

NEW DELHI: In a significant development that brings focus on the need to step up action to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, the United Nations (UN) has declared November 27 the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage. The date carries special significance for India, which backed the resolution steered by Sierra Leone, as it was on Nov 27 that the govt had launched the ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ campaign in 2024.Even though underage marriage has been declining over the decades, the numbers are still a concern calling for greater efforts to eradicate the problem. According to the 2019-21 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 23.3% of women aged 20-24 were married before the age of 18. This came down to 20.1% in NFHS-6 (2023-24).Just Rights f