UN Praises India’s Efforts to Improve Girls’ Education And Curb Child Marriage

The United Nations has acknowledged India’s efforts to improve girls education and curb child marriage while advancing the rights of girls, highlighting the impact of sustained investment, community engagement and governmental policies.

The UN appreciation came during an event jointly hosted by the Permanent Missions of India and Sierra Leone to the UN, celebrating International Day of the Girl Child under the theme ‘Investing in Girl Child: Transforming Our Future’. UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Hannan Sulieman acknowledged India’s efforts in improving girl child’s education and reducing the incidence of child marriage, which has implications for the country and the region.

India is home to 253 million adolescents, the largest adolescent population globally. “India has shown that sustained investment, large-scale community engagement, and policy action can drive real, meaningful change. Over the past decade, girls’ education has improved significantly, reflecting growing recognition of girls’ value within families,” Sulieman said.

According to the UNICEF India country profile, 23% of young women (aged 20-24) were married before the age of 18 in 2021, down from previous NFHS surveys.

In November 2024, the Government of India launched the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign to accelerate efforts to end child marriage and achieve a child marriage-free India by 2030. It is a multi-stakeholder, collaborative effort between the Government of India, state governments and communities. Child marriage not only robs girls of their childhood but also denies them their right to education, livelihood and physical integrity.

Ensuring girls’ right to education while providing access to social and economic opportunities, community ownership and engagement to address gender inequalities and discriminatory social norms are essential to ending the evil practice of child marriage.

India’s adolescent population is the largest in the world, and its investment in girl child has far-reaching implications, not only for the country but also for the region. India’s achievements serve as an inspiration to nations across the globe. 

However, the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child message underscores that child marriage continues to be a serious threat to girls’ rights and well-being. The UN Secretary-General’s statement noted that over 12 million girls worldwide are married before their eighteenth birthday every year. The UN has called for greater investment in girls’ rights, education and protection to accelerate progress towards gender equality. 

Keeping girls in school and ensuring their right to education, and peaceful and safe communities will enable them to exercise their human rights freely and contribute to building inclusive and resilient societies.