Rights of the girl child | A door-to-door campaign by girls, for girls – ActionAid India
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Rights of the girl child | A door-to-door campaign by girls, for girls

Published on: Friday, 28th February 2020

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On January 24, India observes National Girl Child Day to promote the rights of the girl child. Many organizations and institutions hold programmes to highlight the nutrition, health and education needs of girl children.

The Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Regional Office of ActionAid Association facilitated a unique initiative. Adolescent girls from Marikawalsa, one of the largest resettlement colonies of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, carried out a door-to-door campaign in their colony, raising issues faced by girls and young women, and highlighting the need to ensure equal rights and opportunities. These girls also stuck stickers on the doors of more than 200 houses, with messages on the rights of the girl child. ActionAid Association, with support from Franklin Templeton, has been working in this colony on menstrual health and hygiene. Dr. P. Usha, Director, Centre for Women’s Studies, Andhra University and Dr. P. Hebsibha from her team participated in the campaign. They shared about the need to promote education for girls and the importance of health and hygiene. Several civil society organizations, community leaders and mothers joined in the door-to-door campaign.

We also organized a sensitization programme at Zila Parishad High School, Chandrampally in Visakhapatnam with the participation of 90 girls from Classes VIII and IX. Inspiring examples of young girls and achievers from across the country helped underscore the importance of education and building one’s career. During this programme, students and teachers also took oath to work against child marriage.