Odisha’s Ganjam has declared itself a child marriage free district — the first in the State. The district administration has been able to stop as many as 450 child marriages and video-record 48,383 marriages in two years — 2020 and 2021.
What is Nirbhaya Kadhi Campaign?
Nirbhaya Kadhi programme was started in Ganjam district of Odisha. The campaign was started with the objective of preventing adolescent girls from dropping out of school, and counselling them. Under the programme, all the heads of educational institutes were directed to inform administration if girl aged 12 to 18 years remained absent from school for five days. Around one lakh teenagers have undergone counselling under the programme, in past two years.
Child Marriage in India
Child Marriage Act
Child Marriage census