If one Google searches “Karnataka tops in what”, the results are astounding. From leading in wind power capacity and foreign investment to having one of the highest numbers of taxpayers, Karnataka consistently finds itself ahead of the curve in unexpected ways. There is another remarkable entry on that list. The state ranks among the top where villagers feel most confident in dialling child helplines and approaching Child Welfare Committees to report child marriages. This is in sharp contrast to many other states, where communities remain hesitant or unaware that such mechanisms even exist.

It is perhaps this awareness and alignment with local child protection systems that Karnataka has recorded a 55% drop in child marriages among girls (as noted in Tipping Point to Zero: Evidence Towards

See Full Page