Child marriage has always been a challenge for India, especially in the rural areas. Recently, Assam saw a massive increase in arrests for child marriage. While the government is trying to curb the practice through numerous schemes, the state of Odisha, in the past four or five years, has taken the matter in its own hand and is trying to bring about societal and behavioural change among its people.
Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, has issued directives to declare child marriage illegal in villages and has introduced ‘Advika - Every Girl is Unique’, a platform that connects all programmes for females between the ages of 10 and 19. The aim of the programme is to make sure that all districts keep a track of girls who go missing from their classes and communities, and submit the numbers to the district administration. The admin will then appoint personnel for counselling of such girls.
Additionally, many districts have introduced their own methods and financial incentives to tackle the issue in their area.
The Odisha police have been instructed to conduct monthly meetings with members of the panchayat, parents and young girls, to discuss the ills of child marriage and quitting school, and the health risks associated with teenage pregnancies. Police stations have been asked to become child-friendly so that adolescent girls feel comfortable approaching the cops.
Image Credit: The Hindu