DC Srinagar for promoting gender equality, girl empowerment

Srinagar, Jan 24: With an aim to sensitise masses about significance of Birth of Girl Child and to highlight the opportunities created for women empowerment and emancipation, a programme on National Girl Child Day-2024 under Beti Bachao Beti Padao (BBBP) initiative was today held at Government Girls Higher Secondary School Kothibagh to Honour Birth of Girl Child.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Dr. Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat was the Chief Guest of the Programme which was jointly organised by the District Administration Srinagar and District Social Welfare Office.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner underscored the importance of birth of Girl Child and said Women empowerment is among top priorities of the Administration. He said Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiative has been launched to address concerns of gender discrimination and women empowerment.
The DC laid emphasis on launching wider awareness on a large scale to create a positive environment that values the girl child and prevent gender-bias, ensuring survival and protection of the girl child.
The DC also highlighted the initiatives of the Government launched for empowerment and overall development of girl child to educate and empower them, ensuring they are at par with boys in every respect, besides providing reservation options, entrepreneurship avenues to foster their economic growth and securing the financial future of the girls. The DC asked the organizers to launch mass awareness regarding Women Centric Schemes, Skill Development, BBBP and Legal Services through such programmes to achieve desired targets at ground level
The DC also complimented the organizers for conducting the programme and urged them to conduct sensitization programmes of boys/males in order to counsel them regarding gender-bias and importance of the girl child to bring a transformational shift in the way our society looks at the girl child.
He also stressed on conducting such programmes in other parts of the District in future for encouragement and empowerment of Girl Child besides reaching out to the community at large to generate awareness of women oriented schemes of the Government.
During the programme, a question answer session was also conducted and DC held one to one interaction with the participants who put forth various suggestions for the welfare of girl child/women folk.
Later, the DC also felicitated the young women achievers who have performed in different fields of life including Education, Sports, Anganwari, Health, entrepreneurship, Art etc.
District Social Welfare Officer, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, earlier welcomed the participants and addressed the gathering with opening remarks about the programme.
At the end of the programme, District Mission Coordinator DHWE, Ruqaya Asharf presented the vote of thanks.
Programme Officer, ICDS, Mushtaq Ahmad Rather, Chief Education Officer, A. H Fani, District Social Welfare Officer, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, Principal GGHSS School, Kothibagh, Nusrat Bukhari, Deputy CEO, Anjum Raja, District Coordinator NRLM, Zahoor Ahmad, other Officers of District Social Welfare Office, Staff and Students of the School, Anagnwari/Asha workers and other participants attended the programme.