Date:18/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/18/stories/2008091855550600.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Minister exhorts adolescent girls to fight evil practices

Staff Reporter

3,000 girls participate in ‘Chetana Kishora Balika Mela – 2008’

Kishore Sakthi Yojana aimed at encouraging adolescent girls to usher in social change
45 child marriages stopped in villages in two years with the help of Balika Mandals

- PHOTO: G. KRISHNASWAMY

Championing a cause: Minister for Mines and Geology P. Sabitha Indra Reddy releasing the poster of ‘Chetana Kishora Balika Mela’ in Secunderabad on Wednesday.

HYDERABAD: The Minister for Mines and Geology P. Sabitha Indra Reddy on Wednesday urged adolescent girls from the rural areas of Ranga Reddy district to work against evil-practices such as female infanticide, child marriage and illegal trafficking of girls.

Addressing a gathering of 3,000 adolescent girls and an equal number of Anganwadi workers and parents on the occasion of Chetana Kishora Balika Mela—2008 organised by the Ranga Reddy District Women and Child Welfare Agency, the Minister lauded the efforts of the Agency and officials in implementing the Kishore Sakthi Yojana.

The scheme envisages empowerment of adolescent girls from the rural areas towards ushering in social change and includes bridge courses, skill training programmes, workshops and exposure visits. So far, about 1,500 active change agents within 500 Balika Mandals have been trained in the areas of nutrition, health and social issues as part of the scheme.

Health camps

Health camps were conducted as part of the Mela on Wednesday, which included weight monitoring and measuring of the haemoglobin content. Students from Home Science College measured the weight of the girls apart from advising them on nutrition. Counselling sessions were conducted to create awareness on issues specific to adolescence.

“Government schemes for women’s development are aimed at making people welcome the birth of a girl child rather than considering her a burden. Programmes such as this provide an effective platform for girls aged between 16 and 18 to express concerns that they cannot share with anybody else,” said Ms. Reddy.

Decision-making

While stressing that women are not inferior in any respect, she encouraged the girls to be in decision making position in matters concerning their education and marriage. She distributed prizes to 22 girls who took active part in 11 projects in the district.

35,000 girls and their parents were educated by the trained change agents—adolescent girls—on importance of education, nutrition, health, hygiene and community’s role in preventing social evils, an official release said.

As many as 45 child marriages were stopped in the villages with the help of Balika Mandals within two years.

Special puppet shows on social issues, cradle and bell system for the abandoned girl children, and Swadhar Shelter homes for the rehabilitation of the victims of trafficking will be a few future initiatives by the department.