To arrest child marriages in rural areas, Konark- based NGO Young India started a Community Radio campaign named Nua Sakalara Katha with 13 Community Radios of Odisha.

The campaign was bolstered with support from the United States Consulate General Hyderabad with an objective of creating awareness on Covid-19, MGNREGA, violence against Women and also child marriages among vulnerable communities through community radio initiatives.

Village-level Taskforce Committees formed in 47 villages included members like Anganwadi Workers, ASHA, PRI members, teachers, students and community leaders among others. Resolutions were passed and submitted to the respective district administrations to declare their villages as child marriage free villages.

The process of taskforce committee formation is under process in another 37 villages.

To broaden the impact of behavioural changes, narrowcasting sessions and outreach activities were organised by community radio stations in different villages, schools and slums of Odisha to raise awareness on the issue of child marriage. Radio listeners groups were promoted and provided training on child marriage.