Child Well Being and Protection

Initiative for Prevention of Child Marriage and Trafficking:

Protecting children by strengthening legal access for families and communities.

In the border districts of East and West Champaran, Bihar, children face high risks of early marriage, unsafe migration and trafficking due to poverty, limited awareness and weak access to protection systems. Supported through The Access to Justice / Just Rights for Children, this programme is an integrated initiative dedicated to restoring and strengthening child rights by preventing child marriage and stopping the trafficking of boys and girls for labour and exploitation.

The long-term vision is to create child-safe communities, ensure responsiveness of government systems, and empower families to access state schemes that reduce vulnerability. The programme’s commitment runs with ambitious goals designed to generate measurable and lasting impact across both districts.

Program Objectives

Prevent child marriage and trafficking
Ensure children remain in school and continue education
Strengthen community vigilance and early reporting
Improve access to government protection and welfare schemes
Build child-safe villages through local leadership and faith engagement

Milestones

534 Child marriages were stopped
63 children were rescued from child labour
Children are supported to stay in school and continue their education safely.
As part of the Women & Child Development Department’s 100 Days Campaign, Gram Niyojan Kendra–Access to Justice is implementing a 30-day Bal Vivah Mukti Rath campaign.
2,242 Families receive guidance and support to access child protection and welfare schemes.
Religious leaders and local influencers actively promote messages against child marriage.
Strong coordination with frontline workers and institutions has helped create safer villages for children.

Testimonies from the community

During routine field monitoring, Gram Niyojan Kendra identified the case of Poonam (name changed), a 16-year-old girl from Saidpur village who had dropped out of school after Class V due to distance, lack of transport and social barriers. Her guardians had arranged her marriage, scheduled within six months, in violation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. On receiving this information, GNK field staff intervened immediately. With the support of PRI members, counselling sessions were conducted with the family to explain the legal consequences and harmful impact of child marriage. The guardians were made aware of the law and potential legal action. In the presence of a Panchayat Member, a written undertaking was taken to stop the marriage until Poonam reaches the legal age. As a result, the child marriage was successfully prevented. GNK continues to follow up with the family and is supporting Poonam’s re-enrolment in formal education.

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Coverage
East Champaran (Motihari) & West Champaran (Betiyah), Bihar

Creating Safe Childhoods and Protecting Young Lives.

In the vulnerable border communities of Maharajganj district, UP, many children grow up facing risk of child marriage, unsafe migration, trafficking and forced to drop out from school. Poverty, lack of awareness and limited access to protection systems often place young lives at serious risk.
Gram Niyojan Kendra’s Child Protection Programme supported by Azim Premji Foundation works to change this reality by building safe, alert and caring communities. Through children’s groups, family counselling and close coordination with child protection institutions, GNK ensures that risks are identified early, children are protected on time and every child gets the chance to stay in school and grow up with dignity, safety and hope.

Program Objectives:

Equip children and parents with the knowledge to protect children’s rights and foster responsible citizens.
Prevent child marriage, trafficking and abuse
Ensure dropout and at-risk children return to school
Build children’s awareness of rights and personal safety
Improve access to government child protection systems

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Coverage
Nichlaul & Mithaura Blocks, Maharajganj District, Uttar Pradesh

Mental Health Awareness Programme

Helping young minds grow with confidence, balance and hope.
Mental Health is increasingly becoming a focus area for holistic health and well-being and young people today are vulnerable due to the fast changing ecosystem. GNK is running regular Mental Health Awareness campaign for adolescents across the Government Senior secondary schools in Ghaziabad district. Workshops on mental health organized for school children followed by Counselling support.

Promote emotional wellbeing and positive mental health among adolescents.
Build awareness and understanding around stress, emotions and mental health challenges.
Encourage confidence, self-expression and healthy coping skills among school children.
Reduce stigma related to mental health through open dialogue and counselling support.
Any orientation of teachers can be mentioned for sustainability

Milestone

9,356 school children were provided awareness about Mental Health
57 Government and private schools in Ghaziabad covered for the awareness programme
695 teachers of Ghaziabad district have been orientated about Mental Health needs of young children

Beneficiary Voice
“Mental health issues are rampant but no one knows what to do. For the first time there is Conversation around different mental health conditions.”