NEW DELHI:With the aim to reduce prevalence of child marriages to 10% by 2026 and to make India child marriage free by 2030, a 100-day 'intensive awareness campaign for a child marriage fee bharat’ was launched on Thursday.

The special campaign, launched by Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Annapurna Devi, will focus on targeted outreach each month: beginning with schools and colleges, followed by religious institutions and service providers, and culminating with local self-governments.

Speaking at the launch of the intensive awareness campaign, which will run till March 8, celebrated as International Women’s Day, Devi said, “child marriage snatches childhood away from daughters and pushes them towards early maternity and unimaginable suffering."

She stressed that the country must adopt "zero tolerance" towards child marriage and urged states, civil society groups, and community leaders to unite with an "unwavering commitment" to eliminate the practice.

She said though India has made "historic progress,” far more remains to be done. "Even one child marriage is unacceptable for us," she said.

The minister traced the journey from the Sarda Act, 1929 to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, noting that the legal framework had become stronger over the decades, yet harmful social norms persisted.

"Child marriage is not just a violation of the law. It takes away a daughter's childhood and pushes her towards early maternity and unimaginable suffering," she said.

She showcased the improvements due to the government initiatives such as 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao,' pointing to rising sex ratios and higher enrolment of girls in secondary and higher education.

"Today, our daughters are changing faster than ever before. Whether in sports, defence, mining or space, they are creating new history," she said.

The minister also noted the progress of the Surajpur district in Chhattisgarh, where 75 panchayats have reported no child marriages for two consecutive years, saying, "If one district can achieve this, the entire nation can become child marriage free."

WCD Secretary, Anil Malik, said that laws alone cannot eradicate the practice.