Special campaign to combat child marriage launched in Charaideo

Dibrugarh: A special campaign titled, ‘Where Is Your Missing Friend?’, was launched in Charaideo district on Wednesday as part of a broader initiative to create awareness about child marriage and its prevention among students and youths.The campaign was introduced during a programme organised under the ‘Child Marriage Free India Campaign — Protected Childhood, Golden Assam’ initiative at the Sonari College auditorium. The event was conducted under the aegis of the Charaideo district administration in collaboration with Sankalp: District Hub for Empowerment of Women under the women and child development department, and the district child protection unit.Nearly 500 students participated in the awareness programme, which aimed to sensitise young people about the harmful effects of child marriage and encourage them to report cases of underage marriages in their communities. The ‘Where Is Your Missing Friend?’ campaign urges students to notice when their classmates suddenly stop attending school, which could be an indicator of forced early marriage.The programme started with a welcome address delivered by Sujata Gogoi, additional district commissioner of Charaideo, who emphasised the importance of protecting children’s rights and ensuring their access to education. Two plays depicting the consequences of child marriage were staged to convey the message in an engaging manner for the young audience. District commissioner Neha Yadav also addressed the gathering. “Each one of you can be a guardian of your friends’ futures. If you notice a classmate missing from school, ask questions, reach out, and inform authorities if needed. Your vigilance can save lives and futures,” Yadav told the students.The event, hosted by Dipen Baruah, featured an informative PowerPoint presentation by Nina Jyoti Changmai that highlighted statistics on child marriage in the region and explained the legal provisions against the practice.A career counselling session for students was conducted by representatives from the Indian Army, held in the presence of officials from the Indian Air Force and the district Sainik welfare officer.The programme concluded with a skill development session conducted by Rini Sonowal, assistant professor at Moran College, who guided students on various educational and vocational opportunities available to them.