350 child marriages prevented, 10 trafficked children rescued in Kamrup in 2025: Report
ACRD data shows that 10 trafficked children, all girls, were rescued through community vigilance and coordinated action with police and child protection agencies.
Representational Image: Child marriage is widely prevalent in some states in the country
Palasbari, Jan 31: The year 2025 marked significant progress in child protection efforts in Kamrup district, with coordinated action by the district administration, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organisations leading to the prevention of 350 child marriages and the rescue of 10 children from trafficking.
According to data shared by the Assam Centre for Rural Development (ACRD), which works closely with the district administration, 10 trafficked children were rescued during the year, all of whom were girls. The interventions were carried out through timely reporting, community vigilance, and swift coordination with police and child protection authorities.
ACRD is a partner organisation of Just Rights for Children (JRC), one of India's largest child protection networks. JRC comprises over 250 NGO partners working across 451 districts nationwide to safeguard children's rights and prevent crimes against children through its 3P approach: prevention, protection, and prosecution.
Since January 2025, JRC partners across the country have collectively prevented 1,98,628 child marriages and rescued 55,146 children from trafficking. Of the trafficked children rescued nationwide, 40,830 were boys and 14,316 were girls, while 42,217 cases of child trafficking were formally initiated during the period.
Highlighting the importance of coordinated grassroots action, Prerna Changkakati, Executive Director, Assam Centre for Rural Development, said, "2025 was a landmark year for us in terms of child protection. Our close collaboration with district administrations, police officials, gram panchayats, and teachers has made a visible difference on the ground. While rescuing children is critical, it is only the first step. Ensuring rehabilitation, re-enrolment in schools, and supporting vulnerable families through welfare schemes is essential to break the cycle of poverty, child labour, and child marriage."
Along with other JRC partners, the organisation is working towards ending child marriage by 2030, rescuing children from child labour, and identifying cases of inter-district and inter-state trafficking for labour, marriage, and sexual exploitation. The network works closely with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Railway Protection Force, to ensure timely intervention and rescue.
Recognising the crucial role of faith leaders in solemnising marriages, the JRC network has engaged over three lakh religious leaders from different faiths across the country to spread awareness that child marriage is a punishable offence and is not sanctioned by any religion. In Kamrup district, several religious institutions have displayed posters declaring that child marriage is prohibited on their premises.