Warangal: Girls should overcome social evils

Warangal: Maladies of society must be addressed and girls should be educated to usher in the desired change, Warangal Rural District Collector M Haritha said, launching the posters - My Voice, Our Equal Future – the theme of the International Day of Girl Child 2020, here, on Saturday. It may be noted here that International Day of Girl Child is observed every year on October 11.

The Collector said that the girls are competent to take up any job on par with the men. All that they need to do is to overcome social barriers to achieve their goals. "The administration is striving hard to eradicate social maladies such as child marriages, child trafficking, female foeticide, etc. The line departments, NGOs and people need to pay attention to protect the rights of girl children," Haritha said. She emphasised on the need for organising awareness programmes for sensitising people on child rights, education, health and hygiene, etc. She said that the district administration has been giving a lot of impetus on 'Balyaniki Bharosa' (Assurance to Childhood), a programme aimed at ensuring girls enjoy the fragrance of their childhood, by organising awareness programmes in State-run and private schools.

The administration has been focusing on sensitising the girls especially about good touch and bad touch, child trafficking, child marriages and physical changes during adolescence.

This apart, we are trying to sensitise the girls through short films that portray child marriages, child trafficking, child sexual abuse etc. In all, the authorities had sensitised 14,000 girl students from July 2019 to February 2020 in government schools, KGBVS, social welfare residential and other junior colleges, the Collector said.

As of now, the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) is organising awareness camps to the Mahila Self Help Group leaders at Mandal Samakya on prevention of child marriages, child trafficking, female foeticide, etc, the Collector said. District Welfare Officer, K Chennaiah; District Education Officer, Vasanthi; JD Agriculture Ushadayal Child Welfare Committee Chairperson, Mandala Parisramalu; District Child Protection Officer, G Mahender Reddy and Child Protection Officer D Raju were among others present.