Thane Authorities, NGOs Join Hands To Combat Child Marriage Through Awareness Drive

Thane: In a significant move against the practice of child marriage in the region, the Maharashtra Samajik Vikas Trust in partnership with the Seva Sanstha, has launched a large-scale awareness campaign across the Thane District. A delegation from these organisations submitted a memorandum to the District Collector and Divisional Forest Officer, stressing the importance of the campaign.

Under the initiative, the campaign will roll out from Diwali through Republic Day, and will focus heavily on educating community and religious leaders, marriage organisers, band groups, hall owners and caterers about the illegality and harms of under-age marriages. Circulars emphasising that any support for child marriages is illegal will be distributed to these stakeholders.

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While previous anti-child-marriage efforts in Thane have made positive inroads, the trust said some pockets still report incidents of early marriage. The organisations believe that through joint action with the district administration, a “child-marriage-free Thane” is achievable, according to report by Loksatta.

The Maharashtra Samajik Vikas Trust is a partner with the nationwide network Just Rights for Children, which operates in over 450 Indian districts via more than 250 NGOs working to protect child rights. According to its chair, nearly 400,000 child marriages have been prevented across India in the past two years thanks to such campaigns.

By targeting not just families but also event organisers and service providers tied to marriages, the campaign recognises that child marriage is not only a social issue but also entwined with local economic practices and community norms.

Latest Data On Child Marriages In Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, the child marriage prevalence was 8.2% in 2021. From April 2024 to January 2025, authorities prevented 1,246 planned child marriages, a notable rise from the 187 foiled in 2018–2019. The increases are attributed to heightened public awareness rather than a rise in practices.

The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Pune divisions reported the most interventions, while the Konkan division, including Thane, had the least. Reports indicated over 15,000 child marriages occurred in 16 tribal districts in three years. Specific Thane incidents from early 2025 included a 15-year-old's marriage and authorities intervening during a "haldi" ceremony.

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