Access To Justice (Implemented by Praajak in partnership with Just Rights for Children)

Project Objective

The Child Marriage Free India initiative aims to eliminate child marriage through community mobilisation, legal awareness, institutional strengthening, and protection of children’s rights. The project works towards ensuring that every child, especially girls, completes their education, remains protected from exploitation, and has access to opportunities for a safe and dignified future.

The initiative contributes to the national goal of ending child marriage by strengthening community accountability, empowering children and adolescents, and creating child-friendly protection systems at the grassroots level.

Project Locations

The project is currently being implemented in 2 districts of West Bengal – Purba Bardhaman and Paschim Bardhaman.

Project coverage includes:

• 2 Districts
• 15 Blocks
• 20 Gram Panchayats
• 200 Villages

Through this extensive reach, the project engages local institutions, frontline workers, community leaders, religious representatives, and adolescent groups to create a strong protective environment for children.

Beneficiaries Reached

The project directly engages and supports:

• Children: 1310

The initiative also works closely with Families, Communitiy members, Panchayat members, teachers, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, Child Protection Committees, religious leaders, and government stakeholders to ensure a coordinated response to child marriage.

How Beneficiaries Benefit

The project creates a community-led child protection ecosystem that prevents child marriage and promotes children’s rights.

Key interventions include:

• Identification and prevention of child marriage cases through village-level monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
• Awareness campaigns on child rights, gender equality, education, and the legal consequences of child marriage.
• Strengthening of community-based child protection structures and support systems.
• Capacity building of Panchayat members, frontline workers, teachers, and religious leaders.
• Promotion of adolescent participation through youth groups and leadership initiatives.
• Support for continued education and retention of girls in schools.
• Facilitation of access to government welfare schemes for vulnerable families.
• Referral and support services for children at risk, including access to the Child Helpline (1098) and government protection mechanisms.

As a result, communities become more vigilant, children are empowered to speak up for their rights, families make informed decisions, and instances of child marriage are identified and prevented at an early stage.

Future Plans and Vision

Praajak envisions creating Child Marriage Free Communities across West Bengal, where every child can grow up safely, continue their education, and realise their full potential.

Future priorities include:

• Expanding the programme to additional high-risk villages and blocks.
• Strengthening adolescent leadership and peer networks.
• Deepening engagement with schools and educational institutions.
• Building stronger partnerships with government departments and local governance institutions.
• Promoting sustainable community-led monitoring systems.
• Enhancing social behaviour change initiatives to address the root causes of child marriage.
• Contributing to the larger Child Marriage Free India movement led by Just Rights for Children.