Ukhrul,Sept 5 | EKHON:: Just a day after the United Nations adopted a resolution recognising November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, the global campaign has reached Manipur, with FXB India Suraksha (FXBIS) launching a major child protection programme in Ukhrul and Kamjong on Saturday.
The programme, launched by MP Alfred Kanngam S Arthur at Hotel Megan Hills, Ukhrul, brought together around 80 youth leaders and placed young people at the centre of efforts to prevent child marriage, trafficking, abuse and other forms of exploitation.
The UN General Assembly’s decision on September 4 marks a major international milestone in the campaign against child marriage and gives fresh urgency to efforts to protect children’s rights, education, safety and dignity.
Addressing the gathering, Arthur welcomed the UN recognition and said the global attention on child marriage must translate into stronger action at the grassroots. He called for coordinated efforts by communities, civil society organisations and government institutions to protect children from marriage, trafficking and exploitation.
The programme also highlighted the growing role of youth in confronting practices that threaten children’s rights.
Announcing the UN development, FXBIS Programme Officer A Wungreiso Shangh said the designation of November 27 should accelerate efforts to end child marriage by 2030, stressing the need for sustained awareness, stronger child protection mechanisms, community participation and access to justice.
The international campaign for a dedicated day against child marriage was spearheaded by Bhuwan Ribhu, Founder of Just Rights for Children (JRC). In March 2026, Ribhu reiterated the demand during his address at the United Nations, in the presence of international leaders including Dr Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone, backed by 67 countries including India, subsequently led the initiative at the UN General Assembly, culminating in the adoption of the resolution on September 4.
JRC’s Child Marriage Free World campaign is now seeking to turn the UN recognition into a wider global movement. In India, more than 270 partner organisations are working across 782 districts with governments, law-enforcement agencies, schools, panchayats, communities, youth, women and faith leaders.
The campaign aligns with the Government of India’s Child Marriage Free India 2030 vision and the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign, while supporting Sustainable Development Goal 5, particularly Target 5.3 on eliminating harmful practices, including child, early and forced marriage.
FXBIS has been implementing the JRC programme since 2025 in three districts of Meghalaya and one district of Uttar Pradesh. The organisation says its interventions have helped prevent 1,560 child marriages and reached more than 30,000 people.
With the expansion into Ukhrul and Kamjong, the programme will focus on strengthening community-based child protection systems, prevention and awareness, access to justice, youth engagement and coordination between government and non-government stakeholders.
