The tribal-dominated district of Malkhangiri, a conservative and reserved zone, is as affected and ridden by Child Rights violations. It was a preconceived and stereotype notion that the children are safe in Malkangiri area because of rich cultural and societal practices, but the veracity of the ground situation was exposed after CYSD started its Child centric programme intervention in the district and motivated the communities to raise and register such child rights violation cases with the appropriate authorities.

Within the two and half years of intervention, the programme team has observed that cases like illegal migration of children to other states, early marriage, sexual abuse/harassment, sexual exploitation and child labor are rampant in Malkangiri. As per National Family Health Survey (NFHS), Malkangiri district accounts for the highest rate of child marriages in the State where 39.3 percent of girls are married off before they attain the legal age of 18 years. Because of huge school dropouts & irregular education in the district, children and young girls are falling in the trap of marriage, migration, child labor, exploitation & sexual abuse. CYSD realized that these issues can only be tackled in a strategic manner, especially close coordination of the community, administration and civil society organizations. So the organisation started its intervention in 9 GPs under 3 blocks of Malkangiri by organizing children, youth and elders at the community level and established networking and coordination with district child protection unit as well as likeminded CSOs at the district level.

As a result of above intervention at grassroots level, the cases of child rights violation are being taken seriously by the administration. It has triggered motivation among members of Child Protection Committee at the Panchayat and Block levels, as a community driven effort, to deal the menace of child rights violation. At the same time, the organization has also built the capacity of child club, youth club, and adolescent girls club, traditional leaders of the village & SMCs of school on child rights / protection & available mechanisms. Because of taking a lead role for the cause of children in Malkangiri, CYSD became the member of different forums across the district like, Committee for Child Care Institution Monitoring, District Sponsorship & Foster Care Committee, and Committee against Child Marriage.

Simultaneously, the cases of child rights violation reflected increasingly in CYSD’s operational area either by the community or children registering the cases in ChildLine service, police station and child welfare committee for support service. Approximately, 10 cases per month have been registered at the above institutions for appropriate solution. Some successfully resolved cases are highlighted hereunder:

  • In Mathili block, a girl child aged about 14 eloped with her classmate. As both were minor the case was informed to ChildLine by a member from adolescent group. The ChildLine team with the support of ICDS staff traced the eloped children & managed to bring them back home. Both were counseled by the ChildLine members & reached in a conclusion that both will restart their school and after attaining the legal age they might choose to marry. Now the children are in school and regular follow up counseling is taking place with the support from ICDS.
  • A boy child (15 years) from Khairput block suddenly found dead in a nearby forest of his village. The investigation team found that on the day of death, the boy was called by his girlfriend (14 years) to that spot. The administation could conclude that it was honor killing. But to generate concrete evidence, the police took that girl child into custody without taking any legal steps enshrined in the POCSO Act. The matter was brought to the notice of   ChildLine and which could release the girl. The case is yet to be resolved, but the girl child is kept under the custody of   ChildLine service.
  • A girl child (16 years) from Khairput block became pregnant when she was at a School hostel in Nabrangpur District. Knowing the health status of the girl, the teacher sent back her to home. After coming home she was feeling awkward and with suspicion the local AWW made the pregnancy test the girl and found positive. The matter was informed to CYSD frontline worker by a PLCPC member. It was decided to produce the girl child before the CWC for immediate support. The girl child was counseled for mental health support and she got convinced to stay in the ‘Shakhi Home’, a short stay home for 5 days. Then she was taken care by the medical team and completed all tests and immunization process. After getting order from CWC, the police investigated the case, arrested the boyfriend and sent him to the correctional home at Berhampur. Now the girl child is living with her parents. Meantime, the CWC has processed for victim compensation benefit to the girl. Also, the PLCPC has been lobbying with police to bring back the boy child from correctional home to negotiate and sort the matter.

These are some of the resolved cases for the children’s best interest, but still there are some challenges in the ground level and need further engagement towards policy level changes and sustainability.  What will be the future of that pregnant girl child? Who will take care of her child, pre-natal & post-natal care? What about the societal and family acceptance?  If she does not get any compensation from CWC than how will she manage her life? How to resolve the life threatening cases of those frontline workers. These are some emerging challenges still unresolved, however, CYSD has been constantly in process to do more study and research in this field to bring more child friendly rules and policies in place.