FROM INDIA TO THE THE WORLD
A call that now belongs to us all
A day that began as a national call to action in India became a milestone in the global movement to end child marriage by 2030 - International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early & Forced Marriage
2014 onwards
Crime, Not Custom
Reframing child marriage as a crime - JRC Founder Bhuwan Ribhu’s impetus helped shift child marriage from ‘social custom’ to a criminal justice issue, securing minimum 3-year sentences under Juvenile Justice Rules, 2016.
2016
Taking the Battle to
the Supreme Court
Petitioning for legal enforcement - JRC’s partner AVA approaches the Hon'ble Supreme Court to seek enforcement of laws penalizing sexual abuse inside child marriages.
2017
Marital Sexual
Abuse Declared Rape
Extending POCSO protection - The Supreme Court declares marital sexual abuse of a minor under 18 is rape, placing child marriages under POCSO Act jurisdiction.
2022
Coordinated National
Campaign Launched
Launching Child Marriage Free India - JRC begins the Child Marriage Free India Campaign, erstwhile scattered interventions being coordinated into legal, community, and institutional efforts nationwide.
2022-2023
Coalition of 160 Civil Society Organisations
Building grassroots coalition with 160 organisations in a massive collaborative network, scaling the movement's voice before reaching global platforms (has grown to 250+ as of 2026).
2023
Introducing a
Holistic Prevention
Framework (PICKET)
Founder Bhuwan Ribhu publishes When Children Have Children, the first book that frames for child marriage as child rape, introducing the PICKET framework for preventing and eliminating child marriage.
2024
Supreme Court Issues
Prevention Guidelines
India's Supreme Court issues strict national guidelines in October for local accountability, turning grassroot actions into a systems-based, replicable model.
2024
Nationwide 'Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat' Launch
The government launches Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat on 27 November; over 250 million citizens take public pledges to stop child marriages.
2024
Nepal Formally Joins the Movement
Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli formally adopts the campaign on 31 December, launching Child Marriage Free Nepal based on India’s model.
2025
Taking the Fight to the UN
Presenting at UNGA80 on 25 September, JRC launched the global 'Child Marriage Free World by 2030' campaign with evidence of action from 30+ countries brought onto the world's biggest diplomatic stage, demanding criminal justice frameworks worldwide.
2025-2026
100 Days of Action
The 100 Days of Action united people across 99 countries to raise awareness, mobilise communities and individuals, engage schools and faith leaders, and build collective action against child marriage.
March 2026
UN Day Call at CSW70
On 9-10 March at the 70th UN Commission on the Status of Women, Bhuwan Ribhu and international leaders demand a UN-designated International Day to systematically eradicate child marriage.
September 2026
UN Adopts International Day Resolution
The United Nations adopts a resolution establishing November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage on 4th September.