Child Marriage Prevention and Trafficking Rescue in Assam
In a significant development for child protection in North East India, the Kamrup district of Assam has successfully prevented 350 child marriages and rescued 10 trafficked children during 2025, as reported by district authorities and the Assam Centre for Rural Development (ACRD).
Collaborative Approach Yields Results
The success of this operation can be attributed to the coordinated efforts of the Kamrup district administration, police, civil society groups, and child protection agencies. This collaboration enabled timely interventions, community vigilance, and swift enforcement actions to prevent child marriages and rescue trafficking victims.
Child Protection Network's Nationwide Impact
ACRD is a partner organization of Just Rights for Children (JRC), one of the country's largest child protection coalitions. Since January 2025, JRC partners across India have prevented 1,98,628 child marriages and rescued 55,146 children from trafficking. The network follows a three-pronged strategy of prevention, protection, and prosecution.
Breaking the Cycle of Child Marriage and Poverty
Prerna Changkakati, the ACRD executive director, emphasized the importance of rehabilitation, school re-enrolment, and access to welfare schemes for rescued children to break cycles of poverty, child labor, and child marriage. The JRC network is working towards ending child marriage by 2030 and rescuing children from labor, identifying inter-district and inter-state trafficking linked to labor, marriage, and sexual exploitation.
Religious Leaders Join the Fight Against Child Marriage
In an effort to spread awareness, JRC has engaged over three lakh religious leaders across faiths to inform them that child marriage is illegal and not endorsed by any religion. In Kamrup, several religious institutions have displayed notices declaring that child marriage is prohibited on their premises.
Implications for North East India and Beyond
The success of the Kamrup district's efforts demonstrates the potential for effective child protection initiatives in North East India. By working together, district administrations, police, civil society groups, and child protection agencies can make a significant impact on the ground. This model of collaboration can be replicated in other districts and states across the region and the country.