Chetna Vikas is initiating this project in three Panchayats of Deogarh district (15 Villages). Its primary objectives are:

To ensure that girls and women are informed and aware of their legal rights.

To ensure that the policy and laws serve as effective tools to prevent and protect girls from becoming the victims of child marriage.

To mobilize and involve the community in order to bring in behavioural and mind set change.

Although the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) was notified in Jharkhand since 2006, no such case has undergone any legal procedure yet. Chetna Vikas is trying to create a mechanism to prevent Child Marriage in targeted areas. Its presently working on three levels – Village Level Awareness, District and Block Level awareness and Strategy Planning and Advocacy at State Level.

A task force of 45 members aged between 14-24 years lead this project in 15 villages. They spread awareness among the villagers regarding Child marriage. They were trained and capacitated through various orientation programmes. Another task force of 11 members got the opportunity to learn from different communities and their preventive mechanism on Child Marriage. Last year 5 cases of Child marriages were reported, out of which 2 were prevented by the members in the intervention area. The Panchayat decided to keep a record of children and will work to prevent Child marriage. Four villages of the Shankari Panchyat Resource Hub ensures participation of girl child in various activities, eg; regular sports, discuss gender perspective and child protection issues.

District Level Sensitization with Media and Civil society has helped preventing Child Marriage in grass roots. Chetna Vikas was a part of the National Level Campaign “33%Women Reservation Bill in the national parliament and state legislature.” A rally was organized to promote this issue which demonstrated the rights of “Girl Child” through posters.

Health workers (Sahiya) play a vivid role to create awareness among the villagers regarding Child Marriage. Girls below 18 years are prone to Pre and post natal health hazards . In this regard, Block level orientations were organized with Sahiya on cause and effect of Child Marriage and role of Sahiyas.

Chetna Vikas collaborated with government officials to know the status and implementation of PCMA in Jharkhand. An official letter was sent to the MP of the concerned area appealing to create a significant mechanism to prevent child marriage. Two State Level Consultation on Child Marriage with various governmental and non-governmental Partners were organized to strengthen the PCMA,2006. A strategic partnership with National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW) proved fruitful. It was to enable state-level government functionaries and nodal agencies to be part of this collaborative platform. These helped convergence amongst different Ministries to effectively address the issue of Child marriage in Jharkhand.