Change in mentality towards girls is need of the hour: Bhadel

People need to change their mindset towards girls and women, said state woman and child development minister Anita Bhadel.

People need to change their mindset towards girls and women, said state woman and child development minister Anita Bhadel.

A winner of the Garima Award acts as a minister at the Rajasthan woman and child development minister Anita Bhadel office in Jaipur on Tuesday.(HT Photo.)

The development of science is for the betterment of humanity but misusing it for sex determination will ruin mankind and human society will end, she said.

Addressing hundreds of school girls on the occasion of the National Girl Child Day on Tuesday, Bhadel said girls are the country’s future and play an important role in the society.

“Today the situation is changing and women are leading in many sectors and girls are going to school and getting educated, but they have to pay attention about nutrition too,” she said.

“The state government has introduced a number of schemes for girls and women and they should take benefit of these schemes and tell others too. Child marriage is a social evil so girls should raise their voice against it.

“Women are harassed and tortured for many reasons, including witch-hunting, so the government has made introduced an anti witch-hunting legislation.”

She further said that there are many success stories in the society and taking inspiration from them, girls should move ahead and get educated.

The minister administered an oath to the audience to make Rajasthan a child marriage free state.

Rajasthan state commission for protection of child rights chairperson Manan Chaturvedi asked girls to become fighters like Rani Lakshmi Bai only then can child marriage be eradicated and bring about a change in Rajasthan.

Kuldeep Ranka, secretary of the department informed the audience about “sanjha abhiyan” in which officials visit villages to make villagers aware about the ill-effect of child marriage.

Integrated Child Development Scheme director Dr Samit Sharma, Unicef State chief Sam Mawunganidze, UNFPA state programme coordinator Sunil Thomas Jacob and woman empowerment commissioner Richa Khoda too addressed the gathering.