Latest news with #JustRightsforChildren
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Three child marriages foiled in a month in Jind; officials step in to protect minors
. JIND: The district administration along with a NGO stopped three stopped three marriages in a month, in which all three couples were minors. In a fresh case, the district administration successfully intervened a child marriage at the local Vishwakarma Chowk area in Jind in which the bride and groom both were minors. The boy was 18 years old while the girl was 16-years old. This is the third child marriage prevented in a month in the Jind district. The first child marriage was stopped at Brahmanwas village on April 30, in which the groom's age was 20 and bride was 17. In this case, the boy had been selected in a government job in postal department, and the bride's father was poor, and following his financial condition, he fixed the marriage of his younger girl along with his elder daughter on the same day to save marriage expenses. The second marriage was prevented at Kharak Gadia village of this district on May 12, in which the groom's age was 18 and the bride was 13, said officials. In the fresh case, it came to light that preparations were underway and the groom's procession was ready to proceed to complete further marriage rituals at the bride's house at Narnaund town of Hisar district. The team members apprised the groom's mother, a widow, and guests of the strict provisions of the Child Marriage Act 2006. For some time, she tried to mislead in showing birth certificates of her son, but after strict warning from the team members, she produced the certificates in which it came to light that the he was 3 years shorter than marriageable age. After this, the birth certificates of the brides were also demanded on WhatsApp, and after verifying the documents, the bride was also found to be just 16 years old. Later, the groom's mother recorded her statement before the police that she was illiterate and unaware of the provisions of The Child Marriage Act 2006, said Surender Singh Mann, head of MDD, an NGO which was involved with district administration in all three marriages. Maan said that under the aegis of Just Rights for Children (JRC), a national platform of 250 civil societies working in 416 districts in the country, his organization was working against child marriage in 14 districts of Haryana , including Jind. He further said though different social reasons forced parents to tie the knot of their minor children but independent choices of brides and grooms totally ignored, as parents treat them as their private property, which is an injustice to them.
Hans India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
First Indian lawyer to get Medal of Honor
Vijayawada: Eminent child rights lawyer and Just Rights for Children founder Bhuwan Ribhu has become the first Indian lawyer to be conferred with the 'Medal of Honour' by the World Jurist Association (WJA) at the World Law Congress in Dominican Republic. Bhuwan Ribhu has strong connections with NTR district as Vijayawada-based Vasavya Mahila Mandali is a partner of the Just Rights for Children network. Elated with this honour conferred to the founder of JRC, Dr B Keerthi, president of Vasavya Mahila Mandali said, 'This is not just an individual honour for Bhuwan Ribhu. It is a moment of immense pride for all of us working on the ground to protect every child. We are committed to making NTR district child marriage-free by 2030.' Bhuwan Ribhu received the 'Medal of Honour' from Eddy Olivares Ortega, Minister of Labor of Dominican Republic, and Javier Cremades, President of the World Jurist Association. Bhuwan Ribhu has led over 60 PILs resulting in landmark rulings in the Supreme Court and various High Courts. His 2011 case led to the Supreme Court defining trafficking in line and his 2013 campaign on missing children triggered a historic judgment changing the way India's legal system perceived missing children cases. His PICKET strategy to end child marriage, outlined in When Children Have Children, was endorsed by the Supreme Court in its 2024 guidelines. The strategy is also followed by the Vasavya Mahila Mandali, which is determined that the district would be free from child marriage by 2030.
NDTV
06-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Bhuwan Ribhu Becomes First Indian Lawyer To Receive World Law Congress Honour For Child Rights
New Delhi: For over two decades, Bhuwan Ribhu has harnessed the rule of law to dismantle systemic violence against children - leading India's fight against child marriage, trafficking, sexual abuse, and forced labour. On May 5, his relentless efforts were recognised globally as he became the first Indian lawyer to receive the prestigious Medal of Honour from the World Jurist Association at the World Law Congress 2025 in the Dominican Republic. This global recognition is more than a personal honour—it reflects a lifelong journey of dedicated service to children and the strategic use of courts and the rule of law to secure justice for those who have been silenced, exploited, and forgotten. For Ribhu, justice is not just an ideal - it is a daily pursuit. The award recognised a man who changed how India responds to crimes against children. His work turned child protection from a welfare issue into a matter of criminal justice—calling for urgent, accountable, and intentional action. The honour also recognised India's growing commitment to child protection—where recent court rulings and stronger government action have shown serious intent to safeguard the country's most vulnerable children. In his speech, Ribhu stated that the medal belonged to the many who walk the same road. "The Medal of Honour marks a deeply humbling milestone in a journey of two decades of love and service to children and society. It is for every parent who found the courage, resilience, and will to seek justice—and for every child whose indomitable spirit defines the future of our shared humanity. We may walk together or apart, but we walk the same path—with one unwavering goal: justice for children, everywhere. This honour is yours." The recognition, he said, also affirmed the mission of Just Rights for Children (JRC), the organisation he founded. It is one of the world's largest legal intervention networks, uniting over 250 organisations across India, Nepal, Kenya, and the United States to protect children through the justice system. Javier Cremades, President of the World Jurist Association, said, "Bhuwan firmly believes that justice is the strongest pillar of democracy and has dedicated his life to the service of justice for children and women who are victims of sexual crimes in his country and globally. His efforts have saved hundreds of thousands of children and women and set legal frameworks that will protect generations to come. This award is a recognition of his tireless work building a safe, more just world for children through the power of the law." Ribhu has led over 60 public interest litigations that have helped reshape child protection laws in India. His legal work has led to major reforms—including the Supreme Court adopting the UN Protocol's definition of trafficking, making trafficking a criminal offence under Indian law, mandatory FIRs for missing children, and a ban on child labour in hazardous jobs. The Justice Verma Committee, established to recommend legal reforms following the Nirbhaya gangrape case in 2012, included Ribhu's proposals to add new offences such as the accountability of public servants, stalking, voyeurism, and trafficking. Ribhu has also influenced how Indian courts handle cases of child sexual abuse, child marriage, and Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM). His legal interventions have shaped both policy and practice, bringing real change for vulnerable children. Through Just Rights for Children (JRC), he has built one of India's largest legal child protection networks, working across 28 states. The network fights systemic child abuse, ensures justice for survivors, and holds offenders accountable. Ribhu is also the driving force behind Child Marriage Free India, a movement that started from the ground up. What began as a grassroots effort led by thousands of women is now India's largest civil society campaign against child marriage. In just two years, it has transformed public conversation and legal action on a crime once normalised by tradition. In 2024, Ribhu helped launch India's Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat and Nepal's Child Marriage Free campaigns. His call to end child marriage now powers a global movement - Child Marriage Free World - active in 39 countries and uniting communities to protect children from this social crime. Founded in 1963, the World Jurist Association has honoured legal luminaries such as Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and René Cassin - men and women whose legal vision helped reshape the world. With this medal, Bhuwan Ribhu joins the ranks of those whose work changed systems and touched lives. Held from May4 - 6, the World Law Congress 2025 brought together over 300 speakers from more than 70 countries. The Medal of Honour is reserved for jurists whose work has global implications for human rights and justice - among them Presidents, Prime Ministers, judges, prosecutors, ministers, academics, and lawyers.
