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Global Initiative to End Child Marriage

On December 10, 2025, Child Marriage Free World (CMFW), a crucial initiative of Just Rights For Children (JRC), unveiled its ambitious program, "100 Days of Action," aimed at eradicating child marriage worldwide. This launch coincides with International Human Rights Day, symbolizing a unified commitment to sensitive issues concerning children's rights. Each year, an alarming 12 million girls are subjected to child marriage, and more than 650 million women alive today were married as minors, making this a critical global emergency.

The Need for Action

CMFW’s campaign will run until March 20, 2026, leveraging the foundational work already established in India. The initiative seeks to mobilize individuals, organizations, public figures, and educational institutions to pledge their commitment to preventing child marriage.

Bhuwan Ribhu, the founder of Just Rights for Children, has played a pivotal role in rallying communities to tackle this pressing issue head-on. Under his leadership, JRC has cultivated one of the most successful grassroots movements targeting child marriage, which started in India but is now expanding globally.

"The evidence from our projects in India demonstrates that unified community efforts with established goals and consistent actions can effectively break the cycle of child marriage," said Ribhu. The commendable progress seen in India, where incidences of child marriage dropped from 23% to less than 15% in recent years, showcases the impact of strong community advocacy.

Successes in India

JRC's work over the past three years in India has raised significant awareness on the criminal nature of child marriage, supporting the cessation of over 400,000 child marriages since April 2023. Collaborations with civil society organizations and local government structures have been instrumental in this regard. Following a successful outreach program in Nepal in 2024, CMFW is now bringing this effective method to a broader global context.

Goals of the Campaign

The campaign's ambitious goals include:

• - 100,000 digital signatories pledging to end child marriage.
• - 100,000 schools invited to participate and support campaigns against child marriage.
• - Engagement with 100 governments or national leaders to gain formal endorsements for the campaign.

Ribhu emphasized the urgency, stating that, "Child marriage remains a catastrophic crisis that necessitates international solidarity. When communities, government entities, faith leaders, and youth join forces to eradicate child marriage, they secure children’s rights and promote fundamental human values."

Envisioning Change

Owain James, Global Coordinator of CMFW, reiterated the campaign's clear mission: to partner with governments, civil society, legal frameworks and advocates to galvanize community involvement while promoting robust legislation to protect every child. He stated, "When law enforcement is robust, when judiciaries impart justice, and when wrongdoers face consequences, it encourages families to alter their practices, and communities to reshape societal norms."

Participation and Impact

The "100 Days of Action" initiative will engage countries including, but not limited to, Benin, Cameroon, India, Malawi, Nepal, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, and the United States, reflecting a widespread commitment to address child marriage.

About Just Rights for Children

Just Rights for Children is dedicated to establishing a comprehensive network of civil society to guarantee that children are protected by law. The organization aims at the prevention, protection, and prosecution of crimes against children, specifically focusing on tackling child marriage, trafficking, and sexual abuse.

Learn More

To learn more about this critical movement or to get involved, you can visit www.childmarriagefree.world where supporters and advocates can join the cause against child marriage. The launch of this initiative encapsulates the urgency and necessity of global collaboration in addressing child rights issues effectively and humanely.