Ending Child Marriage in Odisha: The Advika Initiative
The Advika program, launched by the Odisha government in collaboration with UNICEF, aims to eradicate child marriage in the state by empowering adolescents, strengthening local structures, and fostering community involvement, all while raising awareness about the harmful effects of early marriages.

Source: UN / Image: © UNICEF/Prashanth Vishwanathan
Sunrise Over Gopalpur: A New Dawn for Girls in Odisha
The morning sun rises over the coastal town of Gopalpur in Odisha, marking a new beginning and new opportunities for children. For many, this opportunity means going to school, where they can pursue their dreams and aspirations. But for girls, the opportunity often abruptly ends with their first menstruation.
In Odisha, there is a local tradition to celebrate a girl’s first period with a feast, marking the beginning of her womanhood. Relatives are invited, and the celebration continues with music and dance for seven days. It is also seen as a sign that the girl is now ready for marriage.
Shilo Pradhan, a young member of the Advika initiative, recalls her experience: “At the feast, some people wanted me to become their daughter-in-law. But at that time, I didn’t know much about marriage. My future in-laws even brought a lehenga (traditional Indian attire) for me. I was only 14 years old then.”
With a population of over 8.3 million children between the ages of 10 and 19, Odisha accounts for almost 20% of the country’s child marriage cases, although this is lower than the national average of 23.3% (according to NFHS 5 data). The state has also seen a decline in the sex ratio at birth, with 894 girls born for every 1,000 boys. Alarmingly, 7.6% of adolescent girls become pregnant or mothers by the age of 19. In the villages of Gopalpur, girls face numerous obstacles. Another Advika member, Asha Sahu, shares, “My mother was advised by everyone to get me married.”
She says, “They told her, ‘Now that you’ve married off your elder daughter, how will you manage with a small shop? How will you send your daughter to engineering college?’ Influenced by their words, my mother asked me to get married. But I firmly refused! I told her I wanted to work and be successful in life. But she didn’t agree.”
Child marriage remains a significant issue in the region. Anganwadi worker Sujata Subhadarshini recalls, “At that time, the issue of child marriage was not taken seriously, and it was prevalent throughout the village. I would tell everyone about the dangers of child marriage and early pregnancies, which could lead to the birth of dead children or maternal deaths.”
Advika – “I Am Unique”
In 2019, in collaboration with UNICEF, the Odisha government launched a five-year Strategic Action Plan (2019-2024) to eliminate child marriage by 2030. This initiative involves various departments, civil society, communities, families, adolescents, and youth. Under this plan, the Advika program was launched in October 2020. Abida Parveen, District Coordinator for the Social Welfare Department in Odisha, explains, “Earlier, child marriage was very common because girls were seen as a burden in the villages. The belief was that it was better to marry them off as early as possible.”
The goal of the Advika program is to strengthen state structures and mechanisms, facilitate discussions between various departments, raise awareness about child protection issues, empower adolescents, and use community partnerships to prevent child marriage. To achieve these goals, a multi-sectoral task force was formed, district and sub-district systems were strengthened, and a comprehensive training and monitoring framework was developed. The program encourages adolescent empowerment through education, skill development, and leadership training, as well as increasing adolescent participation in community engagement and establishing platforms for civic dialogue.
A Community Responsibility
Under the Advika program, many community members have come together to end the practice of child marriage. However, convincing the community that child marriage is a violation of children’s rights has been a major challenge. Sasmita Kumari, a village head, shares, “When Anganwadi workers used to visit homes, people would treat them badly, harassing and mistreating them.” Taking responsibility, she personally joined the Anganwadi workers in visiting homes. “Now, if a case of child marriage arises, people know whom to approach for help,” she adds. To effectively communicate the risks and consequences of child marriage, Sasmita Kumari organizes rallies in her community to raise awareness about the issue. She says, “Through these rallies, we try to solve as many problems as possible in our society. We urge people not to marry off children at a young age. If they ignore this, it will be illegal and considered a crime.” Teachers and schools have also played an important and impactful role in reducing child marriage.
Local government school principal Rajesh Mohanty has made it his priority. He says, “When I got involved in this program, we held a joint meeting with adolescent girls and their parents. We oppose child marriage at a young age; we highlight its impact on children. In PTA meetings, we specifically inform parents about the good and bad aspects of this issue.”
Right to Life
The impact of Advika is evident. Gopalpur is now free from child marriages. Although occasional reports of marriages still arise, the system has significantly helped prevent child marriage. Abida Parveen, District Coordinator for the Social Welfare Department in Odisha, says, “The Advika program has contributed the most to this change. Every Saturday, Advika sessions are held at all Anganwadi centers.”
“Girls, whether in school or out of school, gather there and discuss issues like child marriage. They openly talk about the negative effects of early marriage on the body and mind. That’s why we’ve seen such a big difference, and we’ve successfully reduced child marriage to a great extent.”