Presentation made at an IFPRI event on "What Lies Beneath: Women’s and Girls’ Wellbeing as a Critical Underpinning of India’s Nutritional Challenge" on December 10, 2018, in New Delhi

1. © UNICEF/UNI197921/Schermbrucker
A Social Movement
to End Child
Marriage & Dowry
In Bihar, India
Authors:
Arupa Shukla, C4D Specialist
Dhuwarakha Sriram, CP Specialist
Sayed Mansoor Qadri, CP Specialist
Presented by:
Mona Sinha C4D Specialist,
UNICEF India

2. How does Bihar fare with respect to Child Marriage and Dowry?
2
22.47% of adolescent population
(Census 2011)
Bihar registered 1,154 dowry death cases in 2015 & 1,867 cases under Dowry Prohibition Act (NCRB)
2nd highest number of dowry
deaths & torture incidents
Highest child marriage rate despite
improvement over the last decade
Drop in child marriage
from 60% (NFHS 2005-06)
to 42% in 2015-16 among
women > 18 years
Nearly 4 in 10 women
(39.1%) 20-24 years married
before 18 years (NFHS 2015-
16) and 12.2% in 15-19 age
group began childbearing
(Census 2011)
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child

3. Government of Bihar: Taking up the Challenge
3
Since 2006, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar strengthened
State commitment to make Girls Gender Equal
Strategy on responsible parenthood
Launched schemes - Janani Suraksha Yojana, Prerna, Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh,
formation of Meena Manch in schools, Mukhyamantri Balika Poshak Yojana,
Sakshar Bharat, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidayala, Free Book Distribution etc
Focus on gender mainstreaming & women empowerment
Implementing women-friendly social protection schemes -
Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah Yojana, Mukhyamantri Kanya Suraksha
Yojana & Mukhyamantri Naari Shakti Yojana
Strategy on responsible parenthood
Mukhyamantri Balika Pratibha Protsahan Yojana, Mahila Samakhya Programme,
Jagjagee Kendra for adolescents/drop-out girls, SABLA & Ekal Balika Yojana
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child

4. The Turning Point…
Recent initiatives
Integrated Conditional Cash Transfer
(CCT) Scheme to promote birth of girl
child, prevent child marriage and
empower girls
Launched Mobile Application ‘Bandhan
Tod’ connecting girls to a Peer Network
offering support against potential child
marriage
4
Launched Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle
Yojana for girls in 2006 to help girls transition
from primary school to secondary schools
Formed of 650,000 Women Self-Help
Groups (WSHG) giving women financial
muscle
Adopted ‘Zero Tolerance’ approach against
crime and made legal/police protection
departments accountable
Prohibited sale of alcohol in 2015 Assembly
election
Strong anti-dowry stance & urged party
members to refrain from participating in lavish
weddings
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child

5. The Intervention

6. 3-PHASED Implementation Plan
Reduce prevalence of Child
Marriage below the national average
Bring down atrocities
related to Dowry by at least
50%
Use media advocacy - Build opinion,
create Awareness and Champions from
communities
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child6

7. Strategic Interventions: Guiding Implementation Plans
01 02 03
Generated
highest level of political
commitment
Created
comprehensive social and
behaviour change
communication and
advocacy package
Rolled-out
a state-wide multi-
media initiative with year-
long activities in electronic,
print and radio; tracking
media coverage and
analyzing impact on
reporting; conducting media
trainings and awarding media
fellowships
Strategy 1: Leading from the top with Planning, Review and Commitment
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child7

8. Strategic Interventions: Guiding Implementation Plans
Strategy 2: Developed a costed State Plan of Action
Mapping/review
of existing schemes;
conducted budgetary
analysis to provide insights
Constituted
working group chaired by
Chief Secretary and
concerned departments and
District/Block Task Forces
Finalised
roles and responsibilities for
Women Development
Corporation (WDC),
Child Welfare Communities,
Gender Resource Centre,
UN agencies, state
departments, NGO partners
and community stakeholders
01 02 03
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child8

9. Followed
a cascade
training module
approach to train
600,000
government
officials and
functionaries
Completed
Training of
Trainers (400) at
District level from
7 key line
departments
Leveraged
USD 8.8 million
for state wide
rollout in 2018
Developed
Modules for
training District
Administration,
Block
Development
officers and Civil
Society
organisations
Finalised
Standard
Operating
Procedures
(SOPs) with
capacity
development
tools
Strategic Interventions: Guiding Implementation Plans
Strategy 3: Large-scale Capacity Development of line departments
01 02 03 04 05
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child9

10. Strategic Interventions: Guiding Implementation Plans
Strategy 4: Re-designed a consolidated ‘Cash Transfer Plus’ programme
01 02 03
Learnings
drawn from global examples
and Haryana’s CCT scheme
Strong
implementation
structure
supports CCT (Panchayats,
Teachers and School
Management Committees) to
provide mentorship to young
beneficiaries
Provided
scholarships
for higher education,
vocational training and micro-
credit; linked to government
programmes; developing
‘safe spaces’ through
community based platforms
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child10

11. Multi-Media SBC Communication Initiative
3-Phased initiative
Developed multi-media SBC
communication package to create
awareness and knowledge:
• TV spots, radio jingles, hoardings,
banners, print and social media
• Performed kala jathas and nukkad
nataks to reach 8400 gram
panchayats
Undertook capacity development of
key functionaries on child marriage
and dowry:
• Emphasized roles and
responsibilities of stakeholders
• Mobilized local groups with support
from WSHG’s, Village
Organisations, Police and local
administration to prevent and
monitor
Carried out Inter personal
communication to ensure reiteration of
key messages:
• Systematic follow-up of state-run
adolescent schemes
• Monitored and Evaluated impact of
activities implemented under the
campaign
Phase 2 Phase 3Phase 1
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child11

12. Results

13. • Greater visibility and
dialogue
• Established connect
between child marriage
and poor nutrition,
maternal and infant
mortality
• Access to information
on legal structures and
lawful rights
• Engagement of men
and boys in the
dialogue
• Increased reporting of
incidents
• Formed groups and
coalitions
• Growing acceptance of
monthly meetings
• Boost to existing
government
programmes and
community initiatives
• Increased conviction
on need to educate
adolescents
Used strong SBCC
package to create:
• Visibility
• Reinforcement
• Retention of key
messages
• High level of political
commitment
• Mainstreamed
messages
• Sustained momentum
• Ensured multisectoral
convergence
• Forged partnerships
between departments,
agencies and civil
society organisations
Results: Behaviour and Mindsets
Individual and
household level
Community level Key influencer
level
Systems and
Political level
A Social Movement to End Child Marriage and Dowry In Bihar, India – UNICEF for every child13

14. ©UNICEF/SUDA2014-XX228/Noorani
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