Ending child marriage and empowering girls
From Beed to Solapur: How Yuvagram stopped 96 child marriages in just 90 days.
The “5 AM” Call: A Story of Courage
It was 5:00 AM on September 23, 2023, when our helpline rang. On the other end was Bhagyashree (name changed), a 16-year-old girl from Kandalgaon. She had attended a Yuvagram awareness session at her school just days before.
“My wedding is fixed with a 22-year-old,” she whispered. “I don’t want to marry. I want to study.”
Because Bhagyashree knew who to call, we could act. Within hours, the Yuvagram team mobilized the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and local police. We didn’t just stop the ceremony; we counseled the family and ensured Bhagyashree returned to her classroom, not a mandap.
She is one of the 236+ girls we have protected this year.
Our Impact: The Acceleration (2023-2024)
We have expanded our operations beyond Beed into Solapur and Dharashiv (Osmanabad), partnering with the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF) to launch the Access to Justice initiative.
• 96 Child Marriages Stopped in a single quarter (Oct–Dec 2023) in Solapur alone.
• 32 Child Laborers Rescued from hazardous industries, including ice cream parlors and factories.
• Verification is Key: In cases like that of 15-year-old Ashwini from Akkalkot, families often falsify age documents. Our teams now use biometric verification and cross-reference school Bonafide Certificates with Aadhar data to scientifically prove minority status and legally halt weddings.
The Strategy: Reaching the Tipping Point
Yuvagram is a core partner in the Child Marriage Free India (CMFI) campaign. We are not working in isolation; we are working toward a mathematically defined goal: The Tipping Point.
Research shows that if we can reduce child marriage prevalence to 5.5% by 2030, the practice will naturally die out due to social unacceptability. To achieve this, we employ the P.I.C.K.E.T. Strategy:
1. Policy: Strict enforcement of the PCMA (Prohibition of Child Marriage Act).
2. Investment: Providing survivors with scholarships so “poverty” isn’t an excuse for marriage.
3. Convergence: Connecting Police, CWC, and District Magistrates (as seen in our Solapur raids).
4. Knowledge: Empowering girls like Bhagyashree to know their rights.
5. Ecosystem: Creating 150+ “Child Marriage Free” villages.
6. Technology: Using data to track school dropouts before they become child brides.
Beyond Marriage: The Intersection of Trafficking & Labor
Child marriage rarely happens in a vacuum. It is often linked to trafficking and labor exploitation.
• Operation Muskaan: In Dec 2023, our teams led raids in Solapur, rescuing children trafficked from Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Bihar to work in local eateries.
• Justice for Survivors: We don’t just stop the crime; we ensure legal justice. For survivors like 16-year-old Mona, we filed FIRs, secured victim compensation, and facilitated her re-enrollment in school.
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