Himanta Biswa Sarma: Our 'Nari Shakti' leads the fight against child marriage

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the pivotal role of Self-Help Group (SHG) members in fighting child marriage through a post on microblogging site X. He praised the efforts of 40 lakh SHG members, calling them "true ambassadors of women empowerment."

"Our Nari Shakti is at the forefront of furthering our social welfare initiatives," Sarma posted. "The 40 lakh strong SHG members are leading the fight against Child Marriage through innovative campaigns at the grassroots and acting as true ambassadors of women empowerment."

The Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission, supported by 4 million rural women, has launched a new social security initiative aimed at combating child marriage. These women are raising awareness and organizing street plays to spread the message. They also conduct Child Marriage Prevention Campaigns through the Women Protection Cell and Gender Research Centre.

Key measures include re-enrolling children in school or providing skill enhancement opportunities to address early school dropouts. Additionally, the 'Ejupi Gos' initiative promotes celebrating the birth of girl children by gifting saplings to families. The SHG members also inform families about beneficial schemes like 'Sukanya Samriddhi.'