The State Women Commission in collaboration with Department of Social Welfare today celebrated the National Day for Girl Child at R. S. Pura with Minister for PHE, Sham Lal Choudhary, as chief guest on the occasion.MLA, Dr. Gagan Bhagat, was the guest of honour while Member SWC, Dr. Kavita Suri, Secretary, SWC, Ajaz Abdullah, Tehsildar, Sohan, CDPO, Jasmeet Singh, BMO, Dr. D C Kundal, Dr Iqbal Bhat and Dr Singh from Central University of Jammu were also present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, the Minister highlighted the need to weed out inequalities for the girl child and work for her betterment in the society. He said that there are several related issues to girl child including feticide, discrimination, education, nutrition and honour which require deep deliberations so that remedial measures could be worked out and thus implemented. The girls, adays, are making their presence in every field whether sports, literature, science, education or politics by the dint of their illustrious skills and talent which deserve appreciation and recognition as well, he maintained.
The Minister, while emphasizing proper education for girls, said that it is the only instrument to ensure women emancipation as despite of entering into a world of globalization the females are still treated as a second citizen in the society which is condemnable. He advocated an attitudinal change in the society towards the girls saying that it is our collective responsibility to ensure that the women are treated in a proper way. He asked the women fraternity not to consider themselves inferior to anyone as they have the potential and brain to lead the world even.Dr. Gagan Bhagat, said that society has to work together to remove the difficulties faced by the girl child. “It is a social responsibility of all of us to ensure a safe and enabling environment for the girls so that they also contribute towards societal development with all her strength and skill. Though the girls are well aware of their rights but still there is a need to create this awareness among the women of rural and far off parts, he added.
Dr. Kavita Suri, said that there is an urgent need to change the mind set with regard to the issues like feticide, protection which ensure not only safety for the girl child but also her good health, good education and good nutrition. She said the SCW under the stewardship of its chairperson Nayeema Mahjoor, is working for the betterment of girls and women folk of Jammu and Kashmir. In this regard, she elaborated on several initiatives launched by the Commission during the past days. Ajaz Abdullah said that Women Commission, which is State Body for raising issues of Women in the state, is working round the clock to ensure that the women of the state get their rights and are not subject to any kind of harassment for being a female. “Protection of girl child is prime concern of the Commission and in this regard a number of steps are being taken up”, he asserted.Jasmeet Singh, said that such celebrations serve as a tool towards extending support and new opportunities to the girls in the country.The students of Central University of Jammu presented a skit highlighting the challenges in the life of a girl child.Among the the programmes was attended by a number of women and students from the region.