Supreme Court Targets Child Marriage Elimination in Rajasthan by 2030

The Supreme Court’s recent guidelines to eliminate child marriages in Rajasthan by 2030 have provided a significant boost to civil society organizations working to combat this issue. With a focus on holding local panchayats, school authorities, and child protection officers accountable, these guidelines aim to address the widespread practice of child marriages in the state.

Rajasthan’s Child Marriage Statistics

• 25.4% of women aged 20-24 in Rajasthan were married before the age of 18, according to the National Family Health Survey-5.

Supreme Court’s Guidelines

• The Court ruled that child marriages violate the fundamental right to choose a life partner and cannot be justified by personal laws.
• The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, should be enforced without restrictions from personal laws.
• The Court emphasized a “prevention, protection, and prosecution” model to enforce the 2006 Act.
• Local panchayats, school authorities, and child protection officers will be held accountable for any child marriages in their areas.

Impact of the Guidelines

• Empowered civil society organizations, like the Just Rights for Children Alliance (JRCA), view this judgment as a significant step toward eliminating child marriages by 2030.
• The JRCA has pledged to intensify its awareness campaigns and on-ground efforts to ensure the elimination of child marriages.

Civil Society Efforts

• The Child Marriage Free India campaign, led by the JRCA, played a key role in the case that resulted in the Supreme Court’s verdict.
• Civil society groups are working with village authorities to educate communities and end the practice of child marriage.

Support from Local Authorities

• Rajeev Bharadwaj, convenor of the Child Marriage Free India campaign, emphasized that a multipronged approach is necessary to end child marriages, which have been entrenched in society for centuries.
• Local panchayats and police officials must unite to end child marriages, with civil society groups offering collective support.

Rajasthan High Court’s Role

• In May 2023, the Rajasthan High Court directed the state government to sensitize sarpanches and panches (village leaders) under the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Rules, 1996.
• The High Court stated that sarpanches would be held responsible if they failed to prevent child marriages in their villages.

Key Stakeholders

• The Association for Voluntary Action and other groups are working with village authorities to monitor and prevent child marriages.
• Police, educators, and community leaders are all crucial in the campaign to eliminate child marriages.