KATHMANDU, JUNE 1 Artists, athletes, entrepreneurs and media professionals have pledged collective support for the 'Childhood Free from Marriage' campaign aimed at ending child marriage in Nepal. At a programme organised by Women Service Institute (WSI) Nepal with support from Plan International Nepal on Sunday, participants from various sectors committed to using their platforms to raise awareness against child marriage, which is a punishable offence under Nepali law. Among those supporting the campaign were artists Jitu Nepal, Shiva Shankar Rijal, Laxmi Nepali, Aastha Raut and Sadikshya Nepal, along with athlete Taradevi Pun, media professionals Anita Bindu and Prakash Silwal, and psychological counsellor Jamuna Sharma. Speaking at the event, Acting National Director of Plan International Nepal Srijana Gurung stressed the need for active participation from both institutions and individuals to eliminate child marriage. Similarly, WSI Nepal President Bhawana Bhatta underscored the importance of retaining the legal minimum marriage age of 20 years. The programme also featured live artwork, videos and creative presentations focused on awareness and advocacy against child marriage. Article 39 of the Constitution guarantees children's rights against forced marriage, while Section 173 of the National Penal Code Act, 2017, classifies marriage below the age of 20 as a punishable offence. Nepal has committed to ending child marriage nationwide by 2030. (With inputs from RSS)