A Programme on the above subject was held on 23.5.04 at Redcross Shelter Home in Kharinasi village in Mahakalapada Block of Kendrapada District. This programme was organised by ANIRBANA and supported by PROJECT SWARAJYA. Mr. Pravat Ku Singh, Secretary of "ANIRBANA" introduced and welcomed the guests and participants. He presented the objectives of the said prgramme. The programme was inaugurated by Kharinasi Sarpanch Smt. Ilarani Haldar who was the chief guest of the programme.
Mr. Narayan Haldar Ex Sarpach and Community leader of that area said that in Kharinasi Panchayat the peoples are very poor and illiterate. Just they look upon the girls as burden to them. So from the very beginning they get mentally prepared as to how to dispose of the female child without having to invest any of resource after her. Rather they utilize whatever meager resources they have the development of male child. Men are not the only responsible factor for such ill practices, rather the women themselves are steeped in superstitious beliefs that favour male child vis-à-vis the female child. They think as if to look after their male members as their only duty. He shared his experience as regards how a person similar to his name was involved in trafficking case. Kendrapada Police doubted and arrested him at midnight since his name was the same as that of the alleged trafficker. Ultimately he was released. But the innocent persons like him suffered a lot whereas the real culprits escaped from the eyes of law enforcement agency. He advised that the women's organisations should be formed in large numbers in the community, who in turn would alert the community to refrain from such type of practices. Mainly he pointed out that in his area the child marriage used to take place in large numbers. So he requested the NGOs to take steps for preventing the occurrences of child marriage.
Then Mr. Pravansu Giri who was a Homeopathic Doctor addressed the meeting. He said, how the health problem of minor girls deteriorates following the pregnancy. Keeping it in view the parents should not get married their daughters who are below 21 years of age. He informed as a doctor that he treated about hundreds of pregnant minor girls. He found that due to lack of experience the girls suffered a lot that parents were not able to understand. Besides, there is not a single hospital for addressing the casualty cases of pregnant women. The parents used to console themselves that how they themselves were married at a minor age. Being illiterate and poor they are not aware about the current happenings of a globalized world. So to bring them to the mainstream the NGOs should come forward to make aware the people, so that this type of social practices would be reformed, advised Sri Giri.
Then the Panchayat Samiti Member of Kharinasi Mrs. Sabitri Hota informed that, a person of Benachera village was carrying about 4/5 girls with him ostensibly for marriage purposes, with the hidden intention of trafficking them. But due to the interference of the villagers and police the whole episode came be laid bare. So Smt. Hota stressed that one should give marriage to the girls after the age of 18 or 19. She described some stories of torture that a few returnees were passing through in their fake in-laws house. While the girls got married with the outside persons, who were much more aged than them, they late on discover that they were kept as 2nd or 3rd wife of the so-called husband. Simultaneously they become the mother of 2 to 3 children who would be contemporary to them in age. Sometimes some children were also elder than them. They were usually feeling awkward in their new role. They could not adjust with the in-laws family, so in due course they had to fall out of it.
Mr. Abanti Garu who was a Pharmacist in Kharinasi also addressed the meeting. He gave opinion that the mothers are responsible to stop marriage of their minor daughters. So he suggested to mothers who were present there to be united and stop such inhuman practices. He proposed to all SHG members to organise this kind of meetings throughout Mahakalapada Block.
Mrs. Ilarani Sardar, Sarapanch of Kharinasi GP said that the main cause of the trafficking is poverty of the area. Earlier such incidences were also taking place. But now-a-days it is growing rapidly. The reasons are the faulty species-conservation programme and industrial policy of the Govt. Due to pollution caused by Oswal Chemical Fertiliser Ltd Paradip the cultivated land areas were being damaged. The frequent discharge of effluents by Oswal is destroying the crops. In regard to fishing, since the govt declared some sea-zones as sanctuary, the fishermen were forced to lose their occupation. Thus they lost their livelihood. Their vulnerability is growing day to day in this area. Due to grinding poverty it is very difficult to stop trafficking of women and children unless and until the livelihood support could be provided by govt or any other agencies to the population. About marriage registration she assured to document the concerned information in a properly recorded manner by registering each marriage at local level.
Mrs. Tulsi Haldar who was a teacher in Kharinasi U.P school described her experience while she tried to make understand a parent of her student. She told that beyond 4/5 Standards most of the girls of that area don't continue their studies. One day she went to a student's home and wanted to know the reason of absence in the class. Her father told that he was preparing for her marriage. As far as possible she tried to make the parents understand that they shouldn't give marriage their child at a minor age. But she failed to impress the persons. Ultimately they gave marriage to their daughter.
Then a villager in his talk stressed the education of the villagers and the need for giving marriage to their girls after 21 years of age. Before giving marriage, one should have proper investigation about the bridegroom. Moreover one should stop child birth after one or two children.
Mr. Ashish Senapati said in his speech that the local women association or SHG groups should fight against the child marriage so that the trafficking could be checked to some extent. He gave opinion that the child marriage is another form of trafficking. He tried to orient the participants to register all the marriages. He showed the sample of a marriage register to the PRI members, SHG members and others. He advised to register all the marriages at local level in the presence of PRI, SHG members and responsible senior citizens of that area, for recording the proof of the marriage. He proposed that the every Sarapanch should take the responsibility for all marriage registrations of his GP. All participants supported the proposal.
Mrs. Dolli Dash Secretary Project Swarajya shared her experience of attending the exposure training on Basics of Trafficking at Kolkatta organized by SANLAAP and assisted by CWS. She presented some case studies how the minor girls were trafficked by their relatives. Keeping blind trust on some of their their relatives and guided by latter's false promises they were sold off in red light areas of Bombay and Kolkatta. She described how they were tortured both physically and mentally at a tender age. After presenting the case studies, Mrs Dash asked about clarification, if any required. Responding to her invitation, Mrs Tulasi Haldar said there was no need of any clarification. She told that our agony and sufferings were much less than that of the case studies described. Some participants also felt that, maybe our daughters were suffering such type of brutalities which were not known to us. Some feelings of deep anxiety were thus created in their mind.
Ms Ruksana Khan Project Director of Project Swarajya said in her speech that, now-a- days violence against women is being perpetrated more than what we think it to be. The facilities which are given to the boys by the family and society, are not equally given to the girls. We look upon the girls differently from the boys. If and when we start looking at both sexes equally, then only could we be able to scale down the growing violence against women.
At last Mr. Pravat Ku. Singh presented a marriage register to the Sarapanch of Kharinasi GP Mrs. Illa Rani Sardar and requested her to keep all the proof of every marriage by way of maintaining the register. At the end, Mr. Pravat Ku. Singh thanked all the participants.