Mobile awareness campaign on child marriage organized in Saliasahi of Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneshwar: In an effort to prevent child marriages, the Khurda district administration conducted a mobile awareness campaign on child marriage in Saliasahi from Bhubaneswar today.

The campaign on child marriage ran under the theme “Say no to child marriage… Yes to school”.

Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC)-3 Sanjukta Padhi, Legislative Engagement and Child Rights Advocacy Swati Tanmaya Mishra, and Saliashai Sector Supervisor Binodini Panda attended the special program at Anganwadi Center in BMC Ward No. 20.

Apart from that, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and helpers from Ekamra Vihar area, underage girls, members of different self help groups, local women as well as school students have also took part in the event.

Talking about the aim and purpose of the programme, Sanjukta Padhi said, “The main objective of this program is to sensitize children and their parents to completely end the marriage of girls under 18 and boys under under 21 years old. With such a program also we wanted to spread the message of the negative impact of child marriage on the lives of children and society. »

“We launched the campaign on child marriage with the theme ‘Say no to child marriage… Yes in school’ five days ago. During this period, we visited different areas of MBC and held the program with local residents and their children present and sensitized them about child marriages and how to prevent them,” she added. .

Swati Tanmaya Mishra said you will be surprised to know that there are the same number of child marriages in Khurda district as in rural areas of the state. All this only happens because of the children’s parents. Therefore, we primarily target parents of children and members of self-help groups (SHGs). We organize different events for them to raise awareness about child marriage and its benefits and scourges. »

“We rescued several children from their matrimonial mandates and gave them a new life. We have also helped several of them to be admitted into the various skills development programs so that they are educated and able to earn a living,” she added.