A State level workshop for the tribal leaders, faith leaders and leaders of caste panchayats was held to discuss on taking steps to stop child marriage in their communities. It was organised by Action Aid with the support of UNICEF, Bhubaneswar.
About 25 leaders from 23 different communities like Bhulia, Sapua Kela, Mali, Thanapati, Paudi Bhuyan, Shabar, Didayi, Kutia Kandh, Bhunjia, Gouda, Santal, Munda, Kharia, lodha, Kandha, Oram, Dharua, Paharia, Soura, Gond, Bhumia, Muslims, Christians from 13 districts attended the meet and shared their experiences against child marriage.
Action Aid regional manager Debabrata Patra welcomed the participants and stressed that there is a need for greater mobilisation.
SRCW PD Dr Amrita Patel, OSCPCR Chairperson Kasturi Mahapatra, UNICEF State chief Yumi Bae, State Women Commission member Snehanjali Mohanty and D Pruthwiraj from the Department of Sports and Youth Services were present.
Bae said there needs to be urgent efforts to save girls against child marriage. Patel shared various initiatives undertaken by State Government against child marriage. SWC member Mohanty suggested that Gram Panchayats need to be given power to issue marriage certificates and spread awareness against child marriage. OSCPCR Chairperson Mahapatra opined for concerted effort to fight the causes of child marriage.
Among others, laxminarayan Nanda, lopamudra Tripathy, Alka Gupta from Unicef and Ghasiram Panda, Puspasree Devi, Sudeshna Mishra and lopamudra Behera from ActionAid spoke.