Mission Vatsalya B’pora Continues Awareness Drive Under ‘Child Marriage Mukt Bharat’ Campaign

Bandipora : As part of the nationwide Child Marriage Mukt Bharat campaign, Mission Vatsalya Bandipora Wednesday organized an awareness and outreach programme in Bankoot Block of the district to sensitize the public about the ill effects of child marriage.
The programme was held with the objective of creating mass awareness regarding the harmful social, legal and psychological consequences of child marriage and to ensure strict compliance with child protection laws.
Officials from the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Child Helpline (CHL) and Child Helpdesk (CHD) Bandipora addressed the participants and informed them that the law strictly prohibits marriage below the age of 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. They emphasized that child marriage is a punishable offence and a serious violation of Child Rights.
Reiterating the commitment of the administration to safeguard the rights of children, the officials stressed the importance of ensuring a safe, healthy and dignified childhood for every child in the district.
Speaking on the occasion, Supervisor CHL Bandipora, urged participants to remain vigilant and actively report any information or cases related to child marriage to the Child Helpline 1098 or to the concerned authorities, so that timely intervention can be ensured.
As part of the outreach activity, officials also pasted awareness posters at prominent locations across the block and distributed IEC (Information, Education and Communication) material among participants and members of the general public to further strengthen community awareness.
The programme witnessed active participation from students, staff members, and local residents, reflecting a collective resolve to eliminate the social evil of child marriage from the district.