165 Child marriages prevented during the lockdown period: WDCW department
The Department of WD&CW is playing a key role in preventing Child marriages in the State of Andhra Pradesh through the network of Anganwadi Workers under ICDS and the active participation of the District Child Protection Units in all the 13 districts. Through messages and information received from the Anganwadi workers, Childline Toll-Free No. 1098 and Women Helpline No. 181, rescue teams comprising of the Child Marriage Prevention Officers (CMPOs), DCPU staff, Anganwadi workers and the local police, the department of WD&CW could prevent 165 Child marriages during the lockdown period i.e from 25 March 2020 till 11 May 2020.
After prevention of the Child marriages, follow up action is also being taken by the department of WD&CW. AWWs are tracking each case with the help of Gram/Ward Mahila Samrakshana Karyadarshi in each village and ward. ICDS Supervisors and CDPOs being designated as Child Marriage Prevention Officers at Mandal Level and Block level respectively are monitoring the situation to make and giving necessary counseling to the Parents after the Child Marriage is stopped.
In certain cases in which the children are not willing to stay with their parents after the marriage is stopped, the Children are being produced m, vbefore the Child Welfare Committees and based on the orders issued by the CWCs the children are being admitted either in Kasturba Balika Vidyalayas to continue their education or in Swadhar homes run by the department of WD &CW for the rehabilitation of Women and Children in difficult circumstances.
The following is the district-wise data pertaining to the number of child marriages prevented in 13 districts of AP.
| S. No | Name of the District | No. of Child Marriages Reported | No. of Child Marriages Stopped |
| 1 | Srikakulam | 34 | 34 |
| 2 | Vizianagaram | 5 | 5 |
| 3 | Vishakapatnam | 9 | 9 |
| 4 | East Godavari | 12 | 12 |
| 5 | West Godavari | 8 | 8 |
| 6 | Krishna | 13 | 13 |
| 7 | Guntur | 4 | 4 |
| 8 | Prakasam | 5 | 5 |
| 9 | Nellore | 11 | 11 |
| 10 | Chittor | 7 | 7 |
| 11 | Kadapa | 3 | 3 |
| 12 | Kurnool | 8 | 8 |
| 13 | Anantapuramu | 46 | 46 |
| TOTAL | 165 | 165 |
Apart from 1098 Childline and 181 Women Helpline, the contact numbers of the DCPOs of all the 13 districts are given below. These no.s can be called for the prevention of child marriage. At the village level, the AWW and the Ward/ Grama Mahila Samrakshana Karyadarsi have been designated the responsibility of ensuring that there are no child marriages in the village.
Details of Phone No.s for Prevention of Child Marriages
Toll-Free No. : 1098, 181
| Sl. No | District | Contact No. |
| 1 | Srikakulam | 9440035576 |
| 2 | Vizianagaram | 9494775411 |
| 3 | Vishakapatnam | 9440332581 |
| 4 | East Godavari | 8555060818 |
| 5 | West Godavari | 9491063810 |
| 6 | Krishna | 9441400525 |
| 7 | Guntur | 8332980968 |
| 8 | Prakasam | 9493304884 |
| 9 | Nellore | 9000789793 |
| 10 | Chittor | 7093372107 |
| 11 | Kadapa | 7842297638 |
| 12 | Kurnool | 8333840129 |
| 13 | Anantapuram | 9491355890 |
