BHUBANESWAR: Nabarangpur district has recorded the highest prevalence of child marriage in Odisha, highlighting the continued challenge of ending the practice despite sustained government interventions and awareness campaigns.
Official data indicate that child marriage prevalence in the district stands at 39.4 per cent. Authorities have been actively working to prevent underage marriages, stopping hundreds of cases every year. Between January and April this year alone, officials reportedly intervened to prevent 178 child marriages in the district.
While the government has declared several villages as child marriage-free, social activists and community workers argue that the actual number of cases may be higher than reported. They attribute the persistence of the practice to factors such as poverty, limited access to education, social customs and economic insecurity faced by vulnerable families.
District authorities have intensified awareness campaigns and encouraged schools, colleges and educational institutions to report suspected cases. Officials say community engagement programmes are also being conducted to educate families about the legal, social and health consequences of child marriage.
Experts, however, stress that awareness drives alone may not be sufficient. They have called for stronger monitoring mechanisms, stricter enforcement of child protection laws and greater investment in girls’ education and empowerment programmes to achieve lasting change.
Child rights advocates maintain that improving educational opportunities, delaying school dropouts and enhancing livelihood support for economically weaker families are critical to reducing the incidence of child marriage and ensuring better outcomes for adolescent girls in the region.
-OdishaAge
