GUWAHATI: Child Marriage crackdown against teenage pregnancy has been targeted by the Assam Government to be eradicated by 2026. The claim was made by Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma in an announcement on December 12.
The historical challenges faced by the state in terms of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) have also been highlighted which have traditionally exceeded the national averages. Certain districts in Assam experience higher rates compared to others, with the Under-5 mortality figures reaching 40% in 2020, exceeding the national average of 32%.
Identifying child marriage as a primary contributor to these alarming statistics, Chief Minister Sarma outlined the Government of Assam's goal to eradicate child marriage entirely by the year 2026. To achieve this objective, the State Government also initiated a crackdown against offenders involved in child marriage. According to official statements, more than 5,000 individuals have been arrested in multiple phases as a part of this massive campaign. Furthermore, Gram Panchayat Secretaries have been designated as Child Marriage Prevention (Prohibition) Officers to strengthen the preventive measures.
The efforts have yielded positive results, as indicated by the substantial decline in maternal and child mortality rates. Maternal deaths saw a remarkable 33.4% reduction, dropping from 766 in 2021-22 to 510 in 2022-23. Similarly, child deaths recorded a significant 14.7% decline, decreasing from 7,872 in 2021-22 to 6,718 in 2022-23.
