Jharkhand Launches Massive Outreach to Combat Child Marriage, Trafficking, and Witch-Hunting

Ranchi: Over 44,000 frontline workers have been pressed into a statewide outreach programme to curb child marriages and human trafficking and end witch-hunting. The campaign, which was rolled out in Dec last year, has involved village heads, panchayati raj representatives and Anganwadi workers, officials said.The initiative emphasises on community-level vigilance, sustained awareness campaigns, and early reporting mechanisms to strengthen prevention through grassroots participation and collective responsibility.The campaign has covered 44 subdivisions across the state and directly engages around 44,000 frontline stakeholders, including sub-divisional officers, district social welfare officers, deputy commissioners, deputy development commissioners (DDCs), block education extension officers (BEEOs), supervisors, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya teachers, JSLPS representatives, self-help group members, ward members, ASHAs, Sahiyas, Manki Munda, religious, traditional leaders and others.Kiran Kumari Pasi, direcor of the department of women, child development and social security, said, "The stakeholders have been supervised to coordinate in curbing the child marriage, and evil practices. As per the National Family Health Survey – 5, Jharkhand’s child marriage rate stands at 32%, indicating that one in every three marriages in the state involves a minor. The state’s child marriage is higher than the national average of 23%. The stakeholders will prevent such incidents and immediately report them through Child Helpline 1098, Women Helpline 181, or ERSS-112."The frontline workers underwent a 20-days training which began on Dec 19.The trainings disseminate information on the roles, screening films and videos on state schemes and impacts of child marriage. The modules detail the ill-effects of child marriage, including loss of childhood, interruption in education, early maternal anaemia, higher maternal and infant mortality, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and mental health risks. Officials highlight that girls aged 15–19 face higher maternal mortality, while babies born to mothers under 18 years age are 10% more likely to die in their first year.The outreach program also publicises key government schemes to prevent child marriage and empower adolescents and women, including Savitribai Phule Kishori Samriddhi Yojana, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Chief Minister Kanyadaan Scheme, Mission Vatsalya, bicycle distribution, the School Health and Wellness Programme, the National Adolescent Health Programme, and scholarship schemes.Sarojini Toppo warden of PM Shri, KGBV, Sonahatu, said, " Legal provisions such as the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, POCSO Act, 2012, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Amendment Act, 2021, and constitutional safeguards are being explained to the locals and the girls in the school. Slogan writing, painting, and nukkad natak are being actively encouraged and promoted. "