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'Save the girl child' to be part of school syllabus, says MP govt
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the government will introduce a section on “save the girl child” in the school syllabus besides launching a training programme on gender sensitivity for officers and employees.
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the government will introduce a section on “save the girl child” in the school syllabus besides launching a training programme on gender sensitivity for officers and employees.
Addressing a mahila panchayat at his residence, Chouhan said there was a need to bring about a drastic change in the mindset of the male-dominated society towards women.
He said his government will make all out effort to provide a safe environment for women in the state.
“We will introduce a lesson in the school curriculum on ‘save the girl child’ to change the mindset of male members of society towards women so that there is no harassment of girls and women in the society.”
The CM announcing a training programme for government officers and employees on gender sensitivity to provide a safer and better work place for women, said: “If any government officer or employee behaves improperly with women colleagues, they will be punished and given an adverse confidential report.”
Paying tribute to Aruna Shanbaug, the Mumbai nurse who died on Monday after being in a vegetative state for 42 years after being brutally raped, Chouhan announced an annual prize of Rs 1 lakh, which will be given to an organiasation or individual their work for women’s justice.
The CM also announced a special annual award of `51,000 each for 10 organisations which work against child marriages.
“The MP government will not allow brutal crimes against women. ... the MP government will form a committee, which will discuss on laws and policies related to crimes against women. We will bring about necessary changes in the laws at the state level and will also send proposals to the Centre so that necessary amendments could be made in the laws,” he added.
He directed the director general of police to provide accommodation to girls in distress. “In case of emergency…, a girl can make a call on women helpline number 1090 for help. …Police will provide… for transportation and accommodation for …the girl,” he said.
He also made several announcements, including the construction of working women’s hostels in four cities, crèche in government organisations, child-care leave of two years for women, loans to girl students for higher education and self-help groups, formation of Shaurya Dal in all the 51 districts of the state, and annual health check-up for women in every district.
Interactive session
Women ranging from an aganwadi worker to BJP women’s wing leaders participated in the interactive programme highlighting their problems.
“Our team faces a lot of hardship while trying to stop child marriages in our area. Often we do not get any support from police. Political leaders also mount pressure on us. However, we have succeeded in our drive against child marriage but we want police support while dealing such issues,” said Ranu Bhavsar, a member of Shaurya Dal, a rights group.
A majority of the participants said the government should provide women’s market and a marketing policy for the products made by self-help groups.
