Loo Niva organized a Bagmati Provincial Level Dialogue on Child Marriage and Its Impact on Education on December 2, 2025. The program brings together members of Local Advocacy and Monitoring Committees (LAMCs), civil society organizations, networks, government representatives, and child rights advocates. The dialogue provided a critical platform to examine emerging trends in child marriage, particularly self-initiated marriages among adolescents and their direct and indirect consequences on children’s education, health, and overall well-being.
Discussions highlighted the growing influence of peer pressure, long school commutes, mobile phones, and social media in facilitating self-initiated child marriages. Participants emphasized the serious impacts on children, including school dropout, early pregnancy, reproductive and mental health risks, exposure to violence, and long-term loss of educational and life opportunities, with girls disproportionately affected. Despite strong legal frameworks, gaps in awareness, prevention, and implementation at local levels were identified as key challenges, reinforced by real case sharing from multiple districts.
The dialogue resulted in a shared understanding of the evolving dynamics of child marriage and clear, evidence-based recommendations for action. Key priorities included strengthening school counseling and psychosocial support systems, integrating child marriage prevention and life-skills education into school curricula, increasing parental awareness and responsible digital use, reinforcing LAMC and municipal child protection mechanisms, and improving coordination between provincial and local governments. Participants reaffirmed that preventing child marriage requires collective action and sustained commitment to protect children’s right to education and a safe future.