Awareness and Capacity Building

1. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in collaboration with the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights organized a One-Day State-Level Workshop focused on preventing child marriages in the North Eastern Region on 03/10/2024 in Guwahati. The workshop had more than 150 participants, featuring delegates from the state government, district administration, NGOs, and CSOs. The Dignitaries present in the programme were Hon’ble Chairperson of ASCPCR –Dr Shyamal Prasad Saikia, as the Chief Guest, Smt Rilanjana Talukdar Mahanta, Member ASCPCR, Dr. Gitanjali Ghosh, Associate Professor, Deptt. of Law, Tezpur University,Smt. Sarmistha Barua, APS, AIGP, Welfare & Nodal Officer, Sishu Mitra Resource Centre(SMRC), Smt Gitanjali Doley, APS Addl SP cum Co-ordinator SMRC, Smt Rozy Sarmah, APS, SP. (CID) and Dr. Diganta Barman, Asst Professor, GMCH Dept.of Paediatrics.
2. The Assam government, which has launched an exceptional and unparalleled campaign against child marriage, is amplifying its efforts against this social issue and conducted a state consultation on the matter in Guwahati on 20th February 2024. The all-day consultation, organized by the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) in collaboration with Child Marriage Free India and backed by its coalition partner Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), focused on strategies and methods to eliminate child marriage in Assam by 2030. Addressing the event were Dr. Shyamal Prasad Saikia, IPS (Retd.) Hon’ble Chairperson of ASCPCR; Smt. Janki Khaund, ASCPCR Member; Smt. Basabi Thakuria, ACS, Joint Secretary, Panchayat & Rural Development; Shri Jadumoni Kotoki, Joint Director at the Directorate of Health Services; Dr. Preeti Lekha Deka, ACS, Deputy Secretary for Women & Child Development; Shri Pranay Bordoloi, Senior Journalist; and Shri Rishi Kant, Executive Director of Kosi Lok Manch.
3. The Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights organised a One Day State Level Workshop for Gaon Panchayat Secretaries, Lot Mandals and Gaon Pradhans on Child Marraige, Child Trafficking and Cyber Crime at NEDFi House Guwahati on 26th April 2023. The day long workshop aimed to sensitize the stakeholders about their role in preventing child marriage after the decision of the Govt. of Assam to designate the Lot Mandals and Secretaries of Gaon Panchayats as the mandated Child Marriage Prohibition Officers who will be responsible to report child marriages. The stakeholders were also sensitized about emerging trends of cyber crime such as online child sexual abuse, cyber bullying, sextortion and trafficking. Among guests and dignitaries present were Dr. Sunita Changkakati, Chairperson, Members Dr. Pilu Hazarika, Shri Phanindra Bujar Baruah, Shri Ajoy Dutta and Dr. Rupa Hazarika, Shri Surendra Tadkhelkar, Social Activist and Inspector Smt Bijoya Das on behalf of Assam Police.
4. The Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR), in collaboration with Tinsukia District Administration, organized an awareness programme on prevention of child marriage at the conference hall of the Block Development Officer’s Office, Kakopathar in the Tinsukia district on 29th March 2023. The programme was attended by ASCPCR chairperson Dr. Sunita Changkakati, ASCPCR member Dr. Pilu Hazarika, ADC (Social Welfare) Tinsukia Sarfraz Haque, and BDO Kakopathar Bornali Phukan as guests, while resource persons included Dr. Bornali Bora, SDM & HO, and Dipanjali Chetia, Member of the Child Welfare Committee, Tinsukia. The meeting discussions centered on child marriage, its impact, consequences, and effects on girls, as well as the role of stakeholders in preventing child marriage. SCPCR in collaboration with the District Administration, Tinsukia, organized a District Level Awareness on Prevention of Child Marriage at Kakopathar on 29th March 2023.
5. The Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in collaboration with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights organized multi stakeholder awareness cum capacity building workshops on prevention of early marriage and early pregnancy in the districts of Tinsukia and Kamrup in 2017 and 2018 respectively. The workshops focused on the concept of child marriage and the legal framework to curb the menace of child marriage and also encompassed discussion on the psycho-social aspects related with early marriage and pregnancy along with the health hazards related to adolescents and reproductive health. The participants included the Anganwadi supervisors and workers, adolescents from various tea gardens in Tinsukia, ASHAs, and officials from the line departments.

Others

1. Apart from the above mentioned capacity building workshops and sensitisation programmes, the ASCPCR conducts Review Meetings in the districts of Assam to review implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
2. Former Chairperson of ASCPCR, Dr. Sunita Changkakati was as invited as a panelist at the National Level Consultation to combat Child Marriage, organised by Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation on 20th February 2023 at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi. Hon'ble Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development and aminoritu Affairs, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani also graced the occassion as the keynote speaker in the consultation. One of the major theme of discussion during the Consultation was the decision taken by Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam to launch a mass crackdown on child marriages.
3. The ASCPCR issued a directive to the Superintendent of Police of all districts regarding prompt action in cases of child marriage.
4. Another directive was issued to all the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that religious institutions of their respective districts collect age proof of the bride and groom before solemnisation of marriage.