Child marriage is one of the burning problems of Indian society. In India, despite amended laws advocating 18 as the legal minimum age at marriage for females, a substantial proportion i.e. every third adolescent girl in the age group of 15-19 years is married and every second married adolescent girl has given birth to a child.

 

Child marriage ends childhood.  It negatively influences children’s rights to education, health and protection. These consequences impact not just the girl directly, but also her family and community. Child marriage negatively affects the Indian economy and can lead to an intergenerational cycle of poverty.     

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Our mission

 

We aim to end child marriaige in the state of Maharashtra by 31 December 2027.  This is an ambitious project but we already have a proven track record having:

 

• Brought an end to minors in our district brothels and red light areas

 

• Brought an end to second-generation prostitution in our district

 

• Secured double life-sentences for a sex ring using minors in a landmark Indian Supreme Court case

 

• Prevented 475 child marriages since 2020​
   

• Three projects with Malala Fund to promote girls’ education

 

​​How we help

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We have a dedicated project, Udaan, working across our district to prevent child marriage, rehabilitate victimized girls, and ensure their right to education and dignity. Through outreach work and collaboration with government stakeholders we are ensuring that every child and family knows what child marriage is and who they should reach out to if they or someone they know is at risk.

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We operate a 24/7 helpline and also work with those officiating and event managing weddings so they can inform us when a child marriage is about to happen. We then work with the police and judiciary to prevent the marriage. 

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Unfortunately, we don;t always get there in time which is when we rescue the child from their married home, file a police report and  work with the child and their families to ensure they can continue their childhood safely and securely while continuing legal action against the perpetrators. Additional support through counselling, continuation of education, medical treatment and more is also available to ensure the child can recover.

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How you can help

 

We're looking for partners who feel strongly about investing in women and children in India, and improving healthcare and access to services, and education. If you would like to find out more about what we do and how you can get involved contact udaan@snehalaya.org

 

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