People came running out of their houses, leaving behind the work they were engaged in, to watch what was going on in the streets of Bageppali. Carrying 70×56 cm posters and shouting slogans, more than 850 school students rallied through the streets of the Bagepalli block of Karnataka to “Stop Child Marriages”.       ...

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. – Benjamin Franklin Teachers play an important role in everyone’s life. But for school going girls in the villages of Karnataka, these teachers hold an even more important position as child marriage is a common sight in these areas.  The...

When 25-year-old Suraj* got married to 12-year-old Ramya*, his parents were relieved knowing that he would finally start his own family.  Suraj thought that a union with a younger girl would make his married life easier, because he grew up believing that adult women (over 18) tended to be more rebellious.  But Suraj realised that...

Child marriage in India is a major societal issue that continues to persist. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, many children have been out of school and their families have been left in precarious financial situations. This leaves children, especially young girls, vulnerable to being married off and not allowed to continue their education. This kind...

Ten million additional child marriages may occur before the end of the decade, threatening years of progress in reducing the practice, according to an analysis released by UNICEF. It is no shocker that the COVID-19 Pandemic has further elevated the number of children being exploited, as many took the opportunity of getting their children married...

1.5 Million. 1.5 million girls in India (according to UNICEF) under the age of 18 are made to get married, which unfortunately makes India home to the largest number of child brides. It’s an evil practice that must be put to a stop. We at CIF work to stop practices such as this that are...

On November 1, 2021, Child Marriage Prohibition Day was observed in the Bagalkote, Chikkaballapura, and Chamarajanagara districts under the IMAGE Next project. The rally, as well as other extracurricular events, were held to raise awareness and raise voices against child marriage. Officials from the government were honored and invited as special guests to the event....

Outcome Harvesting is a project assessment and mapping approach that brings real and tangible change between children, the community, government officials, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).  On October 21st and 22nd, one such process was carried out for our project, IMAGE which focuses on the empowerment of child marriage victims across 15 districts of Karnataka. ...

As the state government of Karnataka announced the reopening of schools, 7-year-old Anitha is filled with joy. Joy not just to meet her friends who she hasn’t met in two years but the joy to see the opportunity of getting an education, unlike her two elder sisters who were forced into child marriage when the...