Odisha to step up fight against child marriage in 12 districts

Bhubaneswar, Oct 16 (UNI) Strengthening women's safety mechanisms and preventing child marriage in vulnerable communities will be key priorities for Odisha, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said on Friday. Chairing a review meeting of the Women and Child Development Department, Parida stressed the need to improve support systems for women survivors and strengthen coordination among police, health, legal and rehabilitation services. The State aims to bolster One Stop Centres and Women Helpline 181, besides establishing more effective mechanisms to support survivors. Preventing child marriage will involve community participation, village-level mapping of vulnerable areas and focused awareness campaigns in the 12…