Faith Leaders and IRMA Unite to End Child Marriage on Akshaya Tritiya in Kangpokpi

In a landmark step toward safeguarding children's rights, faith leaders from various religious communities in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district have joined hands with the Integrated Rural Management Association (IRMA) to prevent child marriages during the upcoming Akshaya Tritiya festival and the broader wedding season.

Spearheading a mass awareness campaign under the banner of Child Marriage Free India (CMFI), IRMA and religious leaders have declared that no child marriage will be permitted in any place of worship—including temples, churches, mosques, and gurdwaras—across the district. Posters and banners reinforcing this message have already been prominently displayed at religious institutions, signaling zero tolerance for the practice.

“Child marriage is a serious crime,” the joint statement declared, emphasizing that those involved—including those officiating or assisting such marriages—will face legal action and potential imprisonment under Indian law.

T. Lamjaneng Haokip, Director of IRMA, noted the unprecedented level of support from faith leaders. “This is a crucial step forward in our fight to end the heinous crime of child marriage,” he said. “Laws exist, but awareness is often missing. With the active support of religious leaders—without whom no marriage can take place—we’re confident that this Akshaya Tritiya will be truly auspicious and free from child marriage.”

IRMA is a grassroots partner of CMFI, a nationwide movement supported by Just Rights for Children (JRC)—a network of over 250 NGOs working across 416 districts. Together, they aim to eliminate child marriage in India by 2030 through legal interventions, awareness campaigns, and community mobilization. Since its inception, CMFI has reportedly prevented over two lakh child marriages and garnered pledges from more than five crore individuals.

In Kangpokpi alone, IRMA has worked closely with district officials, community leaders, and families to prevent more than three lakh child marriages through legal intervention and counseling.

The campaign also aligns with the 2024 Supreme Court guidelines on eradicating child marriage and follows the strategic roadmap laid out in JRC founder Bhuwan Ribhu’s book, When Children Have Children.

Faith leaders emphasized that no religion condones child marriage, and their united stance sends a powerful message: child marriage is not only illegal—it is immoral and unacceptable.