Lead the charge against child marriage
In the fight against child marriage and gender-based violence in Nepal’s south, the Rupantaran programme is empowering young voices to take the reins
Dhanusha, Nepal: Anupam was once a shy, introverted teenager who struggled to express himself.
“I had trouble sharing my feeling with others, even my own sister,” says the 14-year-old from Dhanusha District in Nepal’s southern plains.
Now, however, having completed a peer leader training under the Rupantaran life skills programme, Anupam says he feels like a different person. The programme taught him about adolescence, gender-based violence, and social inclusion, which helped him better understand himself and those around him, and his society at large.
Since then, Anupam has been eager to take up any opportunity to share his newfound knowledge, including speaking up at a parent meeting in his community to advocate for the end of child marriage.
Anupam now dreams of becoming a software engineer and continuing his efforts to raise awareness on child marriage.
It was a similar awakening in the case of 16-year-old Mahesh, who says his perspective completely changed following his participation in the peer leader training.
Initially known for teasing girls and making fun of others, Mahesh began to understand the importance of respect and empathy after learning more about adolescent life.
He is now committed to sharing his knowledge with others and encouraging his peers to embrace kindness and equality just as he has learned to do.
On her part, 15-year-old Jasmin from Janakpur directly challenged child marriage in her own family.
“My sister was in Grade 10, and my parents had started the marriage process. I convinced them to stop, and now she’s in Grade 12,” shares Jasmin.
With confidence gained through Rupantaran, Jasmin has educated over 100 peers in her community in just six months and is determined to end child marriage.
UNICEF Nepal/2025
“Child marriage is illegal and a crime. I’ve seen many girls suffer after marrying young—it’s too risky.”
As Anupam, Mahesh, and Jasmin continue their efforts in their lives and communities, their voices are becoming louder, challenging old beliefs, and paving the way for others to follow.
Developed by UNICEF and UNFPA, in collaboration with the Government of Nepal, and being implemented with support from partners such as David Beckham's 7 Fund for UNICEF, the Rupantaran package is aimed at providing adolescents between 10 to 19 years of age the information and skills they need to navigate society and plan for their futures.
