DISHA EK PRAYAS CAMPAIGN AGAINST CHILD MARRIAGE

DISHA EK PRAYAS CAMPAIGN AGAINST CHILD MARRIAGE

20-OCT-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA---------------------------A sustained social campaign against child marriage, child labour and child trafficking in Bhojpur district has yielded significant results. Between May 2023 and September 2026, the NGO Disha Ek Prayas (an associate of Just Rights for Children Alliance) intervened in 1,587 child marriages and successfully stopped them. The organisation also rescued 111 children in 152 cases related to child labour and trafficking.

The campaign reached 500 villages and approximately 3,78,500 households. Activists conducted 2,210 community meetings, organised programmes in 752 schools, carried out 1,545 wall writings, and staged 37 street plays (nukkad natak) to raise awareness. They also administered oaths to 825 public representatives, 1,527 religious leaders, and 408 operators of tents, caterers, beauty parlours and bands who often facilitate such events.

Kumar Sunita Singh, secretary of the organisation, stated that the continuous grassroots effort has helped create strong social pressure against the practice of child marriage in the district. The campaign continues with the goal of making Bhojpur free from child marriage.