KATHMANDU, Jan 1 : More than 100 people, including child rights activists from Nepal and India, children and civil society members have joined hands to launch ‘Child Marriage Free Nepal’ campaign amidst Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s pledge to end this crime.
The event organised in Kathmandu on Tuesday was led by Nepal’s Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Kishor Sah Sudi alongside Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, former chief minister of Lumni province and founder of BASE (Backward Society Education) Nepal, and India’s child right activist Bhuvan Bibhu.
The campaign has been launched by the Ministry of Women and Children with support from Indian organisation Just Right for Children and Nepal’s Backward Society Education, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.
Between December 2 and 8, three dozen countries from three continents participated in the JRC’s Child Marriage Free World pledge-taking ceremonies against child marriage.
“After India’s launch of the ‘Child Marriage Free Bharat’ campaign in November 2024, Nepal has taken a significant step in the South Asian region by initiating a nationwide movement to end child marriage,” the statement said.
Nepal has pledged to end child marriage by 2030.
Representatives from all seven provincial governments in Nepal joined the event.
Prime Minister Oli has also expressed solidarity with the cause, while taking a pledge against child marriage and wished success to the campaign.
Nepal has the second highest prevalence of child marriage in South Asia. The legal age for marriage in Nepal for both men and women is 20.
“Child marriage is the gravest human rights violation, and India has led the way in this fight, demonstrating unwavering commitment and leadership,” Ribhu said. (PTI)
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