BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has many dubious distinctions to its credit and child marriage is one that has been persistent. It ranks 13th among states with 21.3 per cent child marriages. West Bengal tops the list of highest number of child marriages with 40.7 pc, followed by Bihar with 39.1 pc. What has left social engineers worried is that eight districts record more incidents of child marriages than the national average of 26.8 pc and most are tribal-dominated.
As per National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4, Malkangiri tops the list with 39.3 pc child marriages followed by Nabarangpur (37.9), Mayurbhanj (35 pc), Koraput (34.7 pc), Rayagada (34.4 pc), Nayagarh (31.3 pc), Ganjam (29.8 pc) and Keonjhar (28.1 pc).
Though Odisha ranks below the national average, incidence of child marriages in urban areas is 19.5 pc against the all India average of 17.5 pc.
Child marriage traps underage children in a complicated relationship but girls end up becoming victims of sexual subjugation, drudgery and virtual confinement. At least 7.6 pc of girls in 15-19 age group are already mothers or pregnant in the State which explains why child marriages must go.
Poverty apart, lack of education is responsible for high prevalence of child marriage. Only 26.7 pc women have 10 or more years of schooling which means a third of the women leave studies once they are 15 which prompts parents to marry them off. “Parents go for early marriage of their daughters as they believe girls sitting at home are burden,” Programme Manager of Action Aid Ghasiram Panda said.
A National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR ) report says trafficking is a major trigger because girls are kidnapped to be forced into marriages. In 2016, at least 162 girls were kidnapped for marriage in Odisha and most reports came from Mayurbhanj, Angul, Kandhamal and Balasore.
However, a number of tribal communities like Kandh, Paraja, Sauras, Juangas and Paudi have resolved not to allow under-age marriages which is a silver lining, Panda said.
The Odisha Government claims that the incidents are on a declining trend - from 45 pc in 1992-93 to 21.3 pc in 2015-16. “We have been conducting gender sensitisation training of students boys and girls in high schools, colleges and universities besides the officials. We would rope in grass root institutions and monitor them to build community networks and partnerships to curb the practice,” Secretary, Women and Child Development Department Chithra Arumugam says.
However, Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) Chairperson Kasturi Mohapatra says Prohibition of Child Marriage Act should be amended to make all child marriages void. “Karnataka has already done it. Odisha needs to amend the Act to make it more stringent,” she advised.