World News Today: International News Headlines - The Hindu | The Hindu
· collected 2026-09-06 · by PTI
India co-sponsored a resolution with around 70 nations in the UN General Assembly, led by Sierra Leone, to declare November 27 as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage. The resolution was adopted by consensus on September 4, 2026. India launched its own campaign "Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat" or "Child Marriage Free India" in 2024 with a goal to reduce child marriage prevalence by 10% by 2026 and eliminate it entirely by 2030. The resolution encourages countries to develop national strategies and action plans to end child, early, and forced marriage, invest in girls' education, and promote women's empowerment.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
India has co-
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India → co → ?
The 193-member UNGA on Friday (September 4, 2026) adopted by consensus the resolution titled ‘International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage’ led by Sierra Leone.
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UNGA → adopt → Leone
India was among the nations that joined as co-sponsors of the resolution.
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that → join → resolution
It was on November 27, 2024 that the ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’, also known as Child Marriage Free India, campaign was launched in the country, aiming to reduce the prevalence of child marriage by 10% by 2026 and make India child marriage free by 2030.
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India → know → 2030
The issue was also championed by Sierra Leone’s First Lady and President of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), Fatima Maada Bio and Just Rights for Children Founder Bhuwan Ribhu, who had initiated the international call for a dedicated global day to end child marriage.
“Today marks the beginning of the end, when the world has spoken in one voice.
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world → champion → voice
This is the beginning where the world has spoken.
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world → speak → ?
Now is the time to act.
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time → act → ?
From 27th November, the action begins,” Mr. Ribhu told PTI after the resolution was adopted in the General Assembly.
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resolution → begin → Assembly
In March 2026, during his address at the United Nations, Ribhu had reiterated the call for a UN resolution in the presence of international leaders, including Maada Bio, who also voiced support for the initiative.
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who → reiterate → initiative
He had said that the International Day would serve as a global reminder of the need for accountability for unified action by governments, civil society, faith leaders, schools, communities and children.
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Day → say → governments
Sierra Leone, backed by around 70 nations, including India, led the effort by tabling the resolution seeking to designate November 27 as a global day dedicated to ending child marriage.
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Leone → back → marriage
Mr. Ribhu added that with the adoption of the resolution, governments all around the world need to take decisive action through comprehensive laws, budgeted national action plans, responsible and accountable institutions, and involve children in the process of participation with faith leaders, community leaders, government agencies, police, law enforcement, rule of law and ensuring that the ecosystem that perpetuates child marriage is collapsed.
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that → add → marriage
The resolution encourages Member States to continue to develop and implement holistic, multisectoral national strategies and action plans to end child, early and forced marriage.
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resolution → encourage → marriage
It calls upon Member States to invest in quality education for all girls, including programmes enabling married girls and young women to continue or return to education, and to promote the empowerment of women and girls as a key strategy for prevention.
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It → call → prevention
It also recognised that child, early and forced marriage is a "harmful practice” that violates, abuses or impairs human rights, disproportionately affecting women and girls, particularly those in vulnerable situations, and threatening their education, health, economic opportunities and full enjoyment of human rights.
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that → recognise → rights
Just Rights for Children (JRC) said that the adoption of the resolution by the 193-member United Nations General Assembly marks a significant milestone, not only in the global movement to end child marriage, but also in the growing international recognition that child marriage is a crime and another form of child sexual abuse.
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marriage → say → abuse
Just Rights for Children is a global child rights network committed to ending all forms of child exploitation, working to ensure that every child, regardless of geography, can enjoy a safe, healthy, and dignified childhood.
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child → commit → childhood
The network has prevented and stopped over 550,000 child marriages since 2023.
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network → prevent → 2023
In her address to the General Assembly before the resolution was adopted, Maada Bio said child early and forced marriage remains one of the most persistent barriers to gender equality, human rights and sustainable development.
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marriage → adopt → equality
"It undermines girls' education.
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It → undermine → education
It threatens their health and well-being.
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It → threaten → health
It increases their exposure to violence, exploitation, and abuse.
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It → increase → violence
It limits their economic opportunity, perpetuates intergenerational poverty, and it prevents millions of girls from fully contributing to the social and economic development of their society,” she said.
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she → limit → society
“When a girl is forced into marriage, we not only take away childhood, we take away choices, we take away opportunities, and too often, we take away the future she could have helped build for her family, her community, and her country.”
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she → force → family
She added that support of nations joining to co-sponsor the resolution “sends a powerful message to girls everywhere: their rights, dignity, and future are not negotiable.”
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rights → add → girls
