Breaking the Chains of Child Marriage in India: Justice, Education, and Empowerment

Child marriage in India remains a grave violation of human rights, stripping children of their futures and dignity. NGOs like Kokan NGO are not only rescuing victims but also ensuring access to justice and systemic change. Here’s how their multifaceted approach is creating safer futures for children.

A Stolen Childhood: The Crisis Unmasked

Picture a 13-year-old girl in rural Maharashtra, her textbooks replaced by wedding vows, her dreams suffocated under societal pressure. This grim reality affects millions, but Kokan NGO intervenes by pairing rescue operations with legal advocacy. Their mission? To dismantle the systems that perpetuate child marriage while securing justice for survivors.

What is Child Marriage?

Child marriage, defined as marrying individuals under 18, disproportionately impacts girls in India. Despite the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (2006), enforcement gaps and cultural acceptance allow this practice to thrive. Kokan NGO tackles these challenges head-on, combining grassroots activism with legal expertise to protect vulnerable children.

Root Causes of Child Marriage in India

Poverty drives families to view daughters as financial liabilities, pushing them toward early marriages. Cultural traditions in regions like Rajasthan and Bihar normalize underage unions, while gender inequality relegates girls to second-class citizenship. Kokan NGO addresses these issues through economic empowerment programs, shifting perceptions from seeing girls as burdens to assets.

Consequences: A Lifetime of Loss

Child marriage sentences girls to cycles of trauma. Health risks like obstetric fistula and maternal mortality haunt young brides, while educational barriers trap them in poverty. Survivors often face domestic violence, with limited legal recourse. Kokan NGO’s work emphasizes rehabilitation, offering medical care and therapy to help survivors rebuild their lives.

Kokan NGO’s Strategies: Justice, Education, and Community Action

Legal Interventions and Access to Justice

Kokan NGO ensures access to justice by collaborating with law enforcement to halt impending marriages and prosecute offenders. They provide survivors with free legal aid under the POCSO Act (2012) and Juvenile Justice Act (2015), guiding them through court processes. In 2024 alone, their efforts nullified 47 child marriages in Maharashtra and secured convictions for 12 traffickers.

Education as Empowerment

Schools run by Kokan NGO in drought-prone regions offer scholarships and hygiene kits to keep girls enrolled. Their curriculum includes modules on legal rights, teaching students to identify and report coercion. One alumna, Priya, now mentors others after escaping a forced marriage at 15.

Mobilizing Communities

By engaging village councils and religious leaders, Kokan NGO challenges regressive norms. Interactive theater campaigns in Uttar Pradesh have shifted attitudes in 89 villages, with communities publicly pledging to end child marriage.

Economic Upliftment

Vocational training centers teach mothers tailoring and organic farming, reducing reliance on dowries. A 2023 initiative linked 120 families to microloans, enabling them to start small businesses instead of marrying off daughters.

Safe Spaces and Counseling

“Sakhi Centers” provide psychosocial support and life-skills training. Here, survivors like 16-year-old Meera learned to file police complaints against abusive spouses, leading to three arrests in 2024.

Real Impact: Stories of Resilience

In Nashik, Kokan NGO lawyers helped Reena (name changed) annul her marriage at 14. Today, she’s studying nursing and advocates against child marriage in her village. “Kokan NGO gave me back my voice,” she says.

How You Can Help

Report violations: Use the 1098 Childline helpline to alert authorities about at-risk children.
Support legal aid: Donations fund Kokan NGO’s legal team, which handles 200+ cases annually.
Amplify awareness: Share their #NotABride campaign to challenge harmful stereotypes.

Conclusion: Justice as the Foundation of Change

Kokan NGO proves that ending child marriage in India requires more than rescue—it demands justice, education, and societal transformation. By supporting their work, you help build a future where every child enjoys their right to safety, education, and dignity.