Odisha Takes Anti–Child Marriage Campaign to Grassroots with ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’

Taking the fight against child marriage to the last mile, Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy flagged off a unique ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ from the Capital along with Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) Chairman Babita Patra. The Rath, adorned with a pledge wall and awareness messages against child marriage, will travel through villages and towns across the state till March 8. Bal Vivah Mukti Rath, an initiative of Just Rights for Children (JRC), is part of the Government of India’s 100-day intensive nationwide campaign to end child marriage. Notably, Just Rights for Children (JRC) is among the country’s largest child rights networks, with over 250 NGO partners working across more than 450 districts to strengthen child protection systems and end child marriage by 2030. The ceremony was organized in the State Capital by JRC partner Ruchika Social Service Organization.

Equipped with powerful slogans spread both as posters and through loudspeakers, and a pledge-signing board, the ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ is designed to reach the most remote and marginalised communities along its route. While four-wheelers will cover routes with major roads and better accessibility, the most remote villages with poor connectivity will be reached through motorcycle or cycle caravans across the state.

Reaffirming the Odisha government’s commitment to ensuring the dignity and safety of the state’s daughters and ending child marriage, Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy said, “There are districts with a high prevalence of child marriage, but the Odisha government is firmly committed to ending this crime. The State Government has taken several proactive steps to prevent child marriage, including designating Panchayat Executive Officers and hostel wardens as Child Marriage Prohibition Officers, and appointing all headmasters as Child Marriage Information Officers. We will make Odisha child marriage free at the earliest.”

In a powerful step to ensure that child marriage remains at the forefront of the state’s agenda, she also assured that she will initiate a detailed discussion on child marriage issues in the Odisha Legislative Assembly and allocate sufficient time for deliberation on the matter.

Meanwhile, OSCPCR Chairman, Babita Patra who was the guest of honour at the ceremony praised the collaborative efforts of the government and civil society organizations, and said that such “whole-of-society” approach will ensure the elimination of child marriage in the state. Also present during the ceremony was Sumitra Pattanaik, Additional Secretary, Women and Child Development who also signed the pledge against child marriage.

To curb child marriages, the Odisha government has launched ‘Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana’ under which Rs 60,000 will be transferred to brides aged 18–35 years and grooms aged 21–35 years within seven days of the registration of marriage, and another Rs 15,000 for rituals and wedding preparations. The scheme is already picking up in the state with the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi himself solemnizing 201 weddings last week under the scheme.

Speaking about the significance of this campaign on wheels, Benudhar Senapati, CEO, Ruchika Social Service Organization said, “The Bal Vivah Mukti Rath carries continuous messages against the practice, helps build strong grassroots connections by engaging panchayats, teachers, and Anganwadi workers. Awareness to prevent child marriage must emerge from within the community, and this Rath creates that collective consciousness by taking the message directly to people’s doorsteps.”

During its journey, the ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ will engage panchayats, district administrations, CMPOs, and other government officials to reach out to communities for awareness and pledges. The journey, which culminates on International Women’s Day, will cover schools, gram sabhas, religious institutions, and historical sites and spread the message through nukkad nataks, cultural programmes and survivors’ stories. Moreover, similar ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ by JRC are currently travelling across 25 states.

Praising the Odisha government’s resolute stance against child marriage, Bidhan Chandra Singh, National Convenor, Child Marriage Free India, said, “The world is witnessing India’s resolve to eliminate child marriage. This fight is gaining ground by uniting all stakeholders, ensuring every family is engaged, every child is safeguarded, and every village progresses towards becoming child marriage free. Today’s event in Odisha is a reflection of the nation’s political commitment to end this crime by 2030.” Child Marriage Free India is the flagship campaign by Just Rights for Children. In the last one year alone, the network stopped almost 198,628 child marriages across the country, out of which 14900 child marriages were stopped in Odisha alone.

It must be noted that while the prevalence of child marriage in Odisha, at 20.5 percent, is lower than the national average of 23.3 percent, significant disparities remain For instance, as per the National Family Health Survey V (2019-21), in Nabarangapur, Nayagarh, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Mayurbhanj, the prevalence of child marriage is higher than 30 percent, and another six districts have a prevalence rate higher than the national average.